Of Kith and Kin
by Thalia Kendall
Summary: It all started when a gutsy young nurse named Ami met an elderly patient, an eccentric millionaire with a cantankerous temper. Soon, Ami finds herself pulled inextricably into the life of cranky Sard Greenleaf, and his son Zoisite...A/U *COMPLETE*
1. Prologue

Of Kith and Kin - Chapter One  
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Teaser: It all started when a gutsy young nurse met an elderly patient: an eccentric old  
millionaire with a cantankerous temper. A story about family, social class and an unlikely  
but ardent love. Rating....about PG to PG-13...nothing serious, just a few instances of  
adult language....^^;  
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Hey, this is Thalia, your favorite muse of comedy:)...Anyways, by popular demand, I wrote  
a long, multi-chapter work on Ami and Zoisite (Well, fine, I am working on it, have not  
FINISHED writing it yet...). Anyways, here's to my fans, I love you guys!!! Hope you like  
this work!! As usual, all disclaimers apply, and you can e-mail me with comments and any  
other words you wish to impart upon me at smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com. I hope to hear from  
you!!! Okay, that's it, I think. Happy reading!!  
~Luv alwayz,  
Thalia:)  
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"Good morning, Ami." Darien Chiba, one of the infirmary's physicians, greeted the  
slim, capable young nurse as she walked into the infirmary. "We have a special patient for  
you today."  
"Good morning to you, too, Darien. Who is this patient?" Ami Mizuno asked. She was  
alone in the world, but because of a steely will and brilliant mind, she was, at the age  
of 24, one of the most intelligent and capable nurses on the clinic's staff.  
Darien smiled ruefully. "He is a sharp old man named Sard Greenleaf. Already drove  
away Milli and Francine. He has had a stroke and is in physical therapy to recover the use  
of his right hand, and his cardio-pulmonary system is rather weak. He should have another  
year or two if he is lucky, but no more. He needs a live-in nurse. He is very wealthy, but  
rather cantankerous, Milli was in tears when he drove her away, he had berated her so. So  
best of luck."  
"I will keep that in mind." Ami replied. Adjusting her nurse's cap, she strode in  
the room purposefully.  
The patient was lying on the bed, reading a newspaper. The moment he heard Ami's  
entrance, he threw down the paper down with his left hand and glared at her with narrowed  
albeit brilliant green eyes.   
"Who the hell are you and what the hell do you want with me?" He growled.  
What an attitude! Ami forced a smile on her face. "My name is Ami Mizuno and I am  
the unfortunate third attempt at being your live-in nurse, Mr. Greenleaf."  
"Unfortunate, eh? Are you any good? Are you a servile, thin-skinned baby like the  
other pitiful excuses for nurses that are on your staff?"  
"They are not incompetent, SIR" Ami was a bit nettled at his automatic insulting  
tone towards her and her coworkers, "they are simply unused to dealing with patients like  
yourself."  
To her surprise, her tart reply did not earn disapproval or further insults from  
him, but a pleased chuckle. "Good, you have spunk and a will of your own, lass. As unusual  
as it sounds, I am actually starting to like you."  
At that moment, the door opened to reveal a tall, wily-looking man with flame-red  
hair and cold, calculating eyes, with a woman on his arm that Ami detested on sight, a  
feeling that she felt pretty sure was reciprocated. The woman was not unbeautiful, but her  
face held a look of intolerance and snobbery, and her entire air was one of vainglory and  
the consciousness of her social status. She did not look at all to be trusted, gowned in  
glaring lime-green satin, her head crowned with perfectly coiffed chestnut curls. Sard  
Greenleaf's expression of amusement immediately faded into stony displeasure. "Rubeus,  
Carnelian, what do you want now?"  
"We just wanted to see how you were faring, father." The man addressed as Rubeus   
said in a placating tone.  
"I won't be dead for a time yet, sorry to disappoint you." Sard Greenleaf snapped.  
Meanwhile, Carnelian had been occupied in looking Ami up and down, her nose high,  
her mouth pinched, as if in close proximity with something malodorous. Ami stared right  
back at the insolent woman, starting to understand why Sard Greenleaf was so grouchy.  
The said gentleman was at the moment looking at Rubeus with disgust. Rubeus had a  
forced smile on his face. After a few moments of silent reflection, Ami realized exactly  
what was going on. Rubeus and Carnelian were, respectively, the son and daughter-in-law of  
Sard Greenleaf, there to try to butter him up in his final days, before he wrote his final  
will and testament.  
As Rubeus talked on about the weather and the news and whatnot, with Carnelian  
throwing in hints once in a while, Sard Greenleaf sat in his bed, not even looking at the  
two of them. Finally, Carnelian asked her father-in-law when he would be let out of the  
infirmary.  
Ami cut in, "Mr. Greenleaf will be let out in a week. Then, I will go to stay at  
his home as his live-in nurse."  
"Oh? And how do we know that you are qualified?" Carnelian scoffed, again looking  
at Ami's plain white uniform up and down.  
Ami straightened up to her full height. "I graduated from Cambridge four years ago  
and have a master's degree in nursing, and one in biomedical technology. I am the deputy  
head nurse of this infirmary. I am very experienced in this field AND," Ami looked up and  
down Carnelian's sartorial finery as pointedly as the other had looked at her uniform, "I  
am frugal, capable and VERY used to hard work."  
"But father, are you sure that this little common girl will be able to take good  
care of you? We can move back to Aquamyste to take care of you." Rubeus ventured.  
"NEVER!!!" The vehemence of Sard Greenleaf's voice shocked Ami. "Aquamyste is no  
longer your home, and it will never be again! You abdicated that chance when you and that  
bitch of a wife you have ruined Zoi's good name and turned him against me with your lies!  
You gave up Aquamyste forever when your heinous slanders caused Cordelia to die from her  
broken heart! Now, take that termagant and get the hell out of here!!"  
Rubeus and Carnelian cowed under Sard Greenleaf's ferocious glare, and went out of  
the room in a hurry. Sard Greenleaf sunk back onto his bed. Reflexively, Ami got up, took  
his blood pressure and handed him a glass of water.  
The old man calmed down and looked at Ami in gratitude. "Thank you."  
"Oh, no, sir, I am only doing what I should be doing, as your nurse."  
"No, I mean for not letting them two get to you. I like your spirit, lassie. You  
should have been my daughter. I like children like you: smart, aboveboard, kind-hearted,  
unafraid, and most of all, real. But" the old man's green eyes misted over, "that is but  
wishful thinking now. He has left me forever."  
"Who?" Ami was usually not one to pry. but she felt a twinge of sympathy for the  
patient: rich, successful yet so lonely.  
"Zoi. My son. My only real son."  
************  
For the next few days, Ami devoted all her time to attending Sard Greenleaf. The  
day before he was to leave the infirmary, Sard Greenleaf told her his story.  
"I am the son and heir of a very wealthy man named Obsidian Greenleaf. My life had  
always been one of luxury. As a young child, I was very happy. I had a sister named Ivy, a  
sweet, genteel child who unfortunately died in childbirth later. But besides that, I had a  
very kind governess named Mrs. Violet Taylor. Her daughter Cordelia was my best friend, a  
bright, sensitive girl 3 years younger than I. So, Cordelia and I grew up in each other's  
company. When I was 21, when my father died and I had inherited Aquamyste, she had already  
grown from a laughing girl to a fair, gentle beauty with hair like golden silk and eyes  
like turquoise pools. She was clever, idealistic and kind, and it was almost inevitable  
that we had fallen madly and desperately in love.  
However, it was not to be. I was betrothed from birth to a well-born lady named   
Beryl Hayley. She was beautiful physically, though not half so much so as Cordelia. But   
in her character are certain traits that mar her son Rubeus: snobbery, envy and deceit.  
Well, so I married Beryl, against my will. Rubeus was born a year later. For his  
sake, I put up with his mother for 7 more years, each day the ache in my heart for my love  
grew more intense. But when the boy showed signs that he would be just like his mother in  
his adulthood, for she had spoiled him shamefully, I could not tolerate it any longer. I  
divorced Beryl and married Cordelia, who had secretly been my mistress. When we married,  
she was 3 months pregnant with my child, and half a year later, she gave birth to a son,  
whom we named Zoisite.   
Zoisite had his mother's sensitivity, idealism, and her dark golden hair. He had  
my passion, intelligence and spirit, and my eyes. A handsomer, kinder lad I had never seen  
before, or since. And he was brilliant! Started playing chess at age 3, writing poetry at  
age 15. I can't even tell you how I loved him...although you remind me of him in several  
aspects: your intelligence, your candour, your strength and kindness...but I digress. My  
son Rubeus, who was by nature conniving and untrustworthy, hated Zoisite, because Zoisite  
was so much better in everything than he was, and because I loved him so much. He married  
a woman just like him, and together, they hatched up a horrible plot: they set my son up   
and with the aid of a sleeping draught and an impressionable young girl whom they bribed,  
they just about ruined him. They had the girl accuse him of assaulting her while drunk.   
They even made her appear like it happened, if you get my meaning. I was so shocked and   
dismayed by the story that I, fool, believed it! I hit Zoi, and said many harsh, hurtful,   
cruel things to him. I declared to him that I did not want a son like him, that he was a   
disappointment and a disgrace just like Rubeus! I drove him away!! Poor Cordelia tried to   
dissuade me, but I was so mad, so hurt that the son I loved so much could have done such a   
thing, that I said many things to her as well, words that still ring in my ears with their   
injustice and cruelty. She, heartbroken, took a fatal overdose of sleeping pills a few   
days afterwards. When Zoisite heard of his mother's death, he screamed that I had killed   
her, and that he would never return. That was 5 years ago, when he was but 21. He has kept   
his word, he has not returned since.  
A week after that, a young lady showed up at my door. A pale little thing by the   
name of Birdy. She told me, quite distraught and upset, that her sister, Avery Blackmoon,   
had shot herself a few days ago. Imagine my surprise: Avery Blackmoon was the girl who had   
accused my boy of assaulting her. I told her to come in, and she asked to see Zoi. I told  
her that he was out. She looked stricken, and told me, crying, that her sister's suicide  
note to her included something involving him. I told her, frankly, that I did not know if  
I would ever see him again. She cried even harder, and kept on apologizing. I was baffled,  
and she left. Then, I opened the note. The words! They are burned into my memory.   
'Dear Birdy, I am sorry. I know that to you, mum and papa, sorry won't be enough,   
but I just cannot live any more. I hope that you have a good life, that you will be happy   
and healthy and a much better person than I have been. I hope that you will go to Heaven   
when the time comes. I myself will burn forever in Hell for my crimes. Birdy, I need to   
tell you something, and I need for you to do something for me. You, sweet sister, have   
never failed me before, but I really cannot, CANNOT have you fail this. A few weeks ago, a   
couple, a rich couple named Rubeus and Carnelian Greenleaf commissioned me to do a heinous   
thing. After paying me an extensive sum of money, they had me accuse an innocent man named   
Zoisite Greenleaf, the half-brother of Rubeus Greenleaf, of assaulting me while drunk. I  
did as they told, and everyone believed me. I masqueraded as a maid in the hotel he stayed  
in, and I went to his room. I slipped a sleeping draught into the man's drink, bruised   
myself, and spilt wine all over his room and person. Then, I started to scream and cry,   
like they who employed me told me to. The constables came and...well, I do not even know   
if that man I accused is still alive...I still remember his words to me when they led him   
off: 'Who are you, and what have I done to make you hate me?' How could I live with myself  
after that? I used the money that I had received for my services to buy a gun to end my  
miserable life, to go to Hell as I so richly deserve. Please, sister, forgive me, both for  
leaving you thus and for being such a wicked creature. And please, you must do something  
for me. Find Zoisite Greenleaf and tell him the whole story. Tell him that I am sorry, and  
that I wish that someday in his life, he will be avenged for his pain and blessed with a  
divine happiness to assuage the hurt that I have caused. You will be back home from the  
bakery soon, I have not much time left. Farewell, do not fail me, and God bless you.'  
I drove Rubeus and Carnelian away. My solicitor suggested that I turn them in, but  
I did not care any more. I had lost everything, EVERYTHING! My wife, my son, everybody I  
loved! Lass, you do not know how it feels, this emptiness. Yes, indeed, I was rich. With  
the millions I had earned from the stock market and my inheritance, I was respected. But I  
have no one."  
Ami felt tears in her eyes at the story. She wished more than anything that she  
could help him, but she could not. She stayed with Sard Greenleaf until he fell into a   
fitful sleep, then she walked out of his room....straight into a solid body.  
Startled, she looked up. It was a man, wearing a pair of dark glasses even though  
it was night. She started to apologize to him, thinking that perhaps he was blind, when he  
grabbed her hand and pulled her into a quiet corner. He took off his sunglasses, and Ami's  
mouth fell open when she saw his face. She gasped with recognition: the face to break many  
hearts, for Zanth Winters, one of the two singers in the hot new duo "Fire and Ice", was  
blessed with devilishly handsome looks, like his fellow singer Jay Summers. But whatever  
was he doing here, and what did he want with her?  
A flash of realization struck her: this must be Zoisite Greenleaf! Yes, indeed,   
just as Sard Greenleaf had described him. Tall, lean, blond, handsome, with viridian eyes   
that both delved others' psyches and mirrored his own soul. He spoke, and though his voice  
was much less harsh and raspy than his father's, the tone was the same, "So you are the  
nurse who is taking care of Sard Greenleaf. How is he?" No pleasantries, straight to the   
point.   
"Physically, he is about as well as we can possibly make him. He has about a year  
left to live. However, in other aspects, I cannot say that he is well."  
"What do you mean?" The young man's eyes grew sharp with concern, and he grabbed Ami  
by both shoulders.  
"Let us see, where should I start? He has nothing left. His wife is dead, and his  
beloved son has sworn never to see him again. Day after day, to add insult to injury, the  
two malefactors who caused it all visit him and infuriate him. Anything else?"  
He gasped, and suddenly, he shook her and asked urgently, "What are you saying?   
How much do you know?"  
"One, that you are Zoisite Greenleaf. Two, that you were only falsely accused of an  
act of violence you did not commit. Three, that you are estranged from your father because  
of said incident. Four, that you believe you hate him for killing your mum and banishing  
you. Five, that the girl who accused you committed suicide a few days later because of her  
guilty conscience. Six, that she was bribed to accuse you of it by Rubeus and Carnelian   
Greenleaf. Seven, that your father heartily regrets sending you away and wishes vainly   
that you would return. And finally, that you love him as much as he loves you." Ami calmly   
ticked off each piece of information on her fingers.  
"I love him?! When he killed my mother?! Are you daft?" He said bitterly.  
"No." Ami said sternly and matter-of-factly. "YOU are. You are lying to yourself.   
You know that had you been in your father's position, considering the circumstances, you  
would have done the same, that the shock of your favorite son supposedly doing something   
so horrible would have made you act the same way. You regret your vow never to see him   
again, but your abominable pride keeps you from returning to him to bring SOME semblance   
of joy and comfort in his final days. You did love him. Otherwise, you would not have been   
so hurt by what he has done to you. And you still love him. Otherwise, you would not be   
here, Zanth Winters, without any bodyguards, at the risk of being swamped by paparazzi and   
attacked by fans, asking me how he fares. You DO love him, and you DO care about him. If   
I, someone who has never met you before, know this, then you should know it as well and   
not deny your own feelings. Think about it." she shrugged off his hands and stalked off,   
looking over her shoulder once, challenging him with her eyes to refute her.  
************   
Unbeknowest to either Ami or Sard Greenleaf, Zoisite left the hospital in a state  
of confusion, hailed a cab to the nearest coffeeshop, and sat there brooding. That "talk",  
if it could be called so, with that nurse, Ami Mizuno, jangled up his nerves more than he  
cared to admit.   
The girl, no woman, no, girl...he could not really decide which, was perplexing in  
herself. A slim, delicate, almost waifish-looking thing, with pale, alabaster skin, who   
looked like the wind could blow her away. Yet, that smooth, confident, ambitious gait, the  
snapping fortitude in her beautiful sapphire eyes....eyes he could drown in, limpid orbs  
that matched her short, silky lapis hair...she had an unearthly beauty, a beauty that was  
both mesmerizing and delicate, with a fey, bewitching quality remniscent of mermaids and  
nixies. But despite her docile, meek appearance and obvious empathy, she was no weakling.   
Her words had struck a chord in him. She had suggested something that no one else had ever  
tried to tell him, and staunchly maintained it despite his protests. She thought that he,  
Zoisite Greenleaf, still loved his father!  
"What a ridiculous notion!" He said to himself, more to silence that niggling   
little voice inside his head that maintained the truth of Ami's words, than anything else.  
He did not love his father. He did not care, he DID NOT!! If Sard Greenleaf was in pain,  
incapacitated, lonesome and forlorn, it was his own damned fault. He, Zoisite, did not  
care about it. If Sard Greenleaf died, he, Zoisite, would not be sad. NO, not at all!! He  
would be relieved and happy and glad and thankful and -----Zoisite clenched his eyes shut   
and slumped in surrender-----devastated.   
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Okay, there it is! Chapter one!! How do you like it? More to come ASAP!! Do e-mail me with  
your comments at smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com. This is my first truly LONG work, so I want as  
much feedback as possible!!!  
  
Stay tuned for more in a week or two!!   
~Thalia 


	2. Chapter 1

Of Kith and Kin-Chapter 2  
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Teaser: It all started when a gutsy young nurse met an elderly patient: an eccentric old  
millionaire with a cantankerous temper. A story about family, social class and an unlikely  
but ardent love. Rating....about PG to PG-13...nothing serious, just a few instances of  
adult language....^^;  
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Hello, here we go with Chapter 2!! How do you like it so far? Thanks for anyone who has  
e-mailed me recently (alas, not too many:(...) and keep up the support! You people are the  
best! Anyways, as usual, all discliamers apply...blahblahblah....e-mail me with feedback  
at smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!! All right, I won't blab   
any more. Enjoy!!  
~Thalia;)  
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Ami, holding Sard Greenleaf's arm with one hand and a small navy blue valise in  
the other, approached the sleek silver Rolls Royce. The chauffeur, a tall, middle-aged man  
with reddish hair and a luxuriant moustache, took her valise and opened the door for her  
and his master. After they had sat in, the chauffeur, Mr. Waters, drove off sedately in   
the direction of Sard Greenleaf's estate, Aquamyste.  
After about an hour of driving, they had reached a long, tree-shadowed lane, and  
soon, a rugged yet elegant Victorian mansion covered with rambling roses and clinging ivy.  
The mansion was surrounded by a manicured, proper, lush green park with strong, tall oaks  
and poplars, slender white birches and silvery green weeping willows. A marble fountain of  
a girl draped with flowing Grecian robes, holding a pitcher, stood in the middle of the   
courtyard. A wrought iron gate, violet with wisteria bloom, was opened by remote, and the  
car drove down the circular cobblestone drive right up to the house. Ami and her patient  
got out of the car, and Waters followed carrying Ami's valise.   
The door opened to reveal several curious but honest faces of various servants of  
various stations and ages. All of them gazed at Ami with interest and Sard Greenleaf with  
welcome. Sard told them to get in a line, and started to introduce each to Ami.  
"This here is my butler, Mr. William Neveson. He takes care of general things in   
the house and oversees the other servants." He gestured to a serious, gray-haired but   
kindly old man dressed in an immaculate white shirt and black trousers with a gray vest,   
who bowed.   
"This is his wife, Mrs. Cecily Neveson. She helps keep house and is the cook. Try   
some of her apple strudel sometime, and you will never be able to live with out it again."   
Mrs. Neveson, a plump, smiling woman with snow-white hair, squeezed Ami's hand gently.  
"These are Mary Wells, Beth Witting and Elsa Hyde. They are the chambermaids. They   
clean the house." Three women just slightly older than Ami waved and bobbed curtseys.  
"These are Martin Ellis and his sons John and Davy. They keep the grounds." A man  
in the middle age, his hair bleached blond by the sun and his skin a deep bronze, gave Ami  
a hearty smile, and his two sons, one about 20, tall and wiry, with brown eyes and hair,  
another one a boy of 13 with wide hazel eyes and a button nose, his face freckled and full   
curiosity, nodded at Ami. Ami smiled, and the boy smiled back. Ami knew that she had made   
a friend.   
"This is Emily Moore. She is going to be your personal maid." A pretty young girl   
of 18, with a head of curly ash-blonde hair, her eyes the color of bluebells, smiled an  
ingenuous smile at Ami and curtseyed. Ami caught John Ellis stealing longing glances at   
her, and then, the girl smile back at him, causing him to blush slightly.   
"And you have already met my chauffeur Mr. Edward Waters." Sard finished. He then  
turned to his servants. "This is Miss Ami. Treat her like you would treat me." They nodded  
collectively, and Sard Greenleaf told all to begone to their duties, and Emily to show Ami  
her rooms.  
"Please follow me, Miss Ami." Emily said. Ami followed her up the stairs into one  
of the Victorian mansion's "turrets". There, she found three rooms, cool and inviting, in  
blues and greens and violets, a bedchamber, a sitting room and a study, awaiting her. The  
deco was artistic and tasteful, but not too ornate. Sard Greenleaf had been very generous  
with providing her with anything that she could possibly need for her amusement. But the  
most interesting thing in the room was a photograph of a serene, seraphic woman with long  
golden tresses and soulful aquamarine eyes, dressed in a blue-green blouse. In her lap she  
held a young boy, who had hair just slightly darker than hers, cool, alert green eyes and   
a beatific smile on his handsome little face. Ami recognized the boy, he was none other   
than Zoisite Greenleaf! She mentally pictured the present-day Zoisite and compared him to  
the boy in the picture: now, he was brooding, his eyes were stormy, he was still handsome,   
but his face held none of its old ingenuous charm and happiness: it looked jaded. Ami felt  
a strange sense of sympathetic commiseration for him, almost as acute as for his father.   
She wished that she could do something about both men's sadness.  
She could not imagine what a vital role she would play in each man's life.  
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Ami soon grew accustomed to her life at the mansions. The servants all treated her  
very respectfully and cordially, Sard Greenleaf continued to enjoy their daily tart, witty  
exchanges, and she meticulously took care of his health. Soon, he was on the way to the  
recovery of his right hand, and very happy about it. Seeing how the sharp-witted nurse had  
become a favorite of the old man's, the servants were extremely happy, and tried to get to  
know her better.   
Ami's best friends in the mansion were Emily, Davy and Mrs. Neveson. Emily soon  
made the older girl her confidante, and, as Ami suspected, told her of how she and John   
had grown up in the household, starting as kids pulling each other's hair and growing up   
to realize that they were in love. The two were tacitly engaged, although John did not get  
enough money to buy a ring just yet. Davy was curious and clever, and spent hours showing  
Ami proudly about the grounds. Ami had taught him the best way to fold a paper plane, and  
that amazing feat had won her his admiration and respect forever. Whenever Ami was done  
with her duties and he with his, he would follow her around, asking about everything. Mrs.  
Neveson gloried in how the young woman had brought some happiness back into the house, and  
treated her like a daughter. Sard Greenleaf, too, delighted in the girl's intelligence and  
candour, and affectionately called her "lass".  
A few months passed. Spring gradually became summer. One day, Sard Greenleaf gave  
a snort as Ami walked in, wearing her nurse's uniform. "Lassie, for the love of God go and  
buy some decent clothing!"  
"I beg your pardon?" Ami asked.  
"You wear that blasted uniform day in and day out. I feel like my house is being  
turned into a clinic!" The old man rung a bell and immediately Mr. Neveson appeared at the  
door. "Yes, sir?"  
"Tell Waters to get the black Mercedes ready. And call for Emily. I have decided  
to have Miss Ami spend a day at the shops and get some normal clothing before my house   
becomes an infirmary." Sard Greenleaf said autocratically.  
Mr. Neveson inclined his head and in moments, both Waters and Emily were standing  
at the entrance of the room. Sard Greenleaf handed Ami a wallet filled with cash. "If this  
is not spent, you need not return this evening." He declared in a voice that brooked no  
argument.  
Ami allowed herself a slight grimace, which Sard Greenleaf caught. He smiled and  
sat back. Silently, Ami followed Waters and Emily out.  
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Four hours later, Ami, dressed in a short, simple but chic blue satin dress with a  
white voile sash, which was form-fitting without being clingy, with a skirt that came up   
to mid-thigh, walked towards the car. A pair of cat's eye tortoise-shell sunglasses that   
darkened and lightened relative to the light sat on her nose, a silver and blue lacquer   
caduceus pin graced the lapel of the white raw silk blazer that she wore over her dress, a   
pair of sapphire studs adorned her earlobes, a platinum Cartier watch encircled her slim   
wrist, she wore a pair of fine Italian leather blue pumps, and carried a classy Gucci   
purse. Walking behind her, Emily and Waters both carried a few bags and boxes. Soon, they   
were home again.  
Sard Greenleaf nodded with approval when he saw her come in. "That is better. Get  
ready for supper, lass. Mrs. Neveson made her decadent chocolate mousse and chicken cordon  
bleu tonight."  
Ami nodded and led Sard Greenleaf to the washroom and helped him wash his hands.   
Then, she helped him to the table and went to wash her own hands.  
Soon, they were sitting across from each other, the only people sitting at a round  
mahogany table that could seat 12. The crystal chandelier shone above them, and a bouquet  
of white-gold Madonna lilies and lush, feathery ferns in a blue handblown glass vase was  
placed in the center of the table. They sat eating in companionable silence.  
Suddenly, there seemed to be some disturbance at the door. Ami and Sard Greenleaf  
could hear Mr. Neveson give an exclamation, and Mary the maid shrieking. Then, quick, sure  
footsteps could be heard walking towards the dining room, and all of the sudden, a tall,  
lean form appeared at the entrance of the dining room. A young man, his head crowned with  
dark golden hair that gleamed in the light of the setting sun. As Sard Greenleaf stared at  
him transfixed, his eyes bugging out of his head, the young man removed his sunglasses and  
smiled at him and Ami. A pair of brilliant green eyes on an incredibly handsome face held  
slightly mischievous sparkle. After 5 years of self-imposed exile, Zoisite Greenleaf had  
finally returned home.   
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Dead silence. For a moment, time seemed to have been frozen. Mrs. Neveson, who was  
in the process of bringing in chocolate mousse, stood stock still in shock at the entrance  
of the dining room. Zoisite gave her a charming smile and said, "My, Mrs. Neveson, your  
mousse looks as luscious as ever. I've gone all around the world, and I've never seen any  
half as good."  
"M-master Z-zoisite?" Mrs. Neveson stammered, incredulous.  
"The one and only. I've returned." Zoisite said lightly, though his green eyes had  
a serious look to them, and he glanced meaningfully at his father. So far, Sard Greenleaf  
had not said a word. Neither had Ami.  
Mrs. Neveson hurriedly set the mousse on the table, then bustled off back to the  
kitchens, muttering, "The young master had always liked my chicken soup...and...yes!...the  
very thing...pastries with creme de menthe...beef tea and honey biscuits...another place  
at the table...and of course, that bottle of red wine that had been in the cellar for 10  
years..."  
Sard Greenleaf glared at Zoisite. "Where the Hell have YOU been?"  
Zoisite shrugged nonchalantly, "Oh, here and there. I originally did not have any  
type of job, then I met up with a nice lady one day, named Rei Hino. Turned out that she  
was the girlfriend of my old friend Jadeite Somerset. You remember Jade, right, the blond  
boy who always played pranks? Well, I met up with Jade, and we formed a duo. At first, we  
just played for coffee shops and such, but one day, this big rich producer found us, and  
before we knew it, we were the latest "hit group"...got pseudonyms...I am called Zanth  
Winters and Jade, Jay Summers. Our group is known as 'Fire and Ice'. Now, we've been out   
in public for about 2 years...we have earned a tidy little sum of money and we get fan  
mail every day...besides that, though, I have not been doing much."  
Sard Greenleaf listened to this astonishing narrative with a straight face. Then,  
he snapped, "So, you have been happy for the past 5 years?"  
Zoisite became serious. "I had thought so, until someone changed my mind."  
"Who? How? What happened?"  
"I met up with this stubborn but smart little woman who told me that I was just  
kidding myself. That I was eaten up with 'abominable pride'. That I belonged back here,   
and if I kept on denying that, I was the world's biggest fool."  
Sard Greenleaf chuckled. Ami suddenly seemed very interested in her fingernails in  
her lap. "Whoever that lassie is, I hope to meet her someday. Sounds a bit like Ami over  
here."  
Zoisite looked piercingly at Ami, whose eyes were still cast downward, and forced  
down a wolf-whistle. Wow! That woman really cleaned up well!! But he put on a wide smile.  
"Good evening, Miss Mizuno. It is a pleasure to see you once again."  
"You have met before?" Sard Greenleaf asked curiously.  
Zoisite nodded, respect and admiration for her in his eyes. "Whom do you think I  
was talking about who gave me a piece of her mind?"  
Sard joined his son in scrutinizing Ami, who looked down, slightly embarrassed.   
She was about to excuse herself from the table, when Zoisite grabbed her wrist gently, but  
firmly enough to prevent her escape, "Stay with us, if you please. Come, have a drink with  
us."  
Sard Greenleaf nodded in agreement, and Ami consented. Zoisite released her wrist  
and smiled, "That's right. Say, father, if I had known that this lovely young thing would  
be staying here and that she looks so gorgeous dressed up, I would not have left."  
Sard Greenleaf laughed heartily as Ami blushed in consternation. "My boy, your bad  
habits have not been improved, I see. Lass, ignore him, he has always been an incorrigible  
scoundrel."  
Zoisite pouted slightly, "What do you say, father? I have not been here an hour   
and you have already begun to ruin my reputation, and in front of a lady too!"  
Ami's face broke into a small smile, and Sard Greenleaf laughed again. Father and  
son talked animatedly and intimately for the rest of the evening, and Ami just sat back  
and listened to them, content. The snappish old man had never been so happy, and his son  
was just as glad. Gradually, she felt her eyelids get heavy, the chandelier's light looked  
like a golden cloud. But she still sat there and listened to the soothing sounds of the  
conversation.   
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Zoisite stopped laughing and glanced at the dark gold filigree clock on the wall.  
Good heavens, it was already midnight! He glanced at Ami, and his eyes softened despite  
himself. There she sat, fast asleep, her beautiful blue head leaning slightly on her left  
shoulder, her long eyelashes resting on her blossom-pink cheeks. Her face was pure and  
gentle in its repose. He walked over to her and softly called her name. She did not stir.  
Sard Greenleaf watched his son intently as he bent over Ami. Zoi's eyes had always  
mirrored his soul, and now was no exception. But for both his and Ami's sakes, Sard knew  
that he should make sure that those two would not just fly off on their emotions without  
any sense of committment. The last thing he wanted to see was the two of them having a  
casual fling without any true feelings. "Zoi, she seems to be fast asleep. Why don't you   
take her to her room?"  
Zoisite's face, now serious and contemplative, looked from his father to Ami, and  
silently nodded. Gently, he picked up Ami and carried her up the stairs. Emily was waiting  
in the hall, and after greeting Zoisite, led the way to Ami's room. Zoisite followed her,  
Ami nestled in his arms. He was surprised at how light she was, and how perfectly she fit  
in his arms. But soon, they had reached her room. Gently, he laid her on her bed, and as  
Emily closed the curtains, he tenderly brushed away a lock of blue hair that had fallen on  
Ami's face. Emily watched him expectantly, and, noticing her eyes on him, Zoisite left the  
room without a word.  
His father was waiting downstairs. "Do not get any ideas about her, my boy."  
Zoisite looked at his father. "What? Why?"  
Sard Greenleaf's steady eyes never left Zoisite's face. "She seems to be very good  
friends with my doctor, Darien Chiba. They seem pretty close, and he is a very worthy man.  
He is a very successful doctor and good man."  
"Oh." Zoisite's reply was monosyllabic and toneless, but his father, scrutinizing  
his face, saw everything he wanted to see.  
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Duhn-duhn-duhn!! And ze plot thickens!! There it is, Chapter 2!! Did you like it? Did you  
hate it? E-mail me at smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com and tell me!! More in a week or two!! Look  
for it!! Hope you enjoyed, and hope to hear from you!!  
-Thalia;) 


	3. Chapter 2

Of Kith and Kin: Chapter 3  
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Hi people! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to all who e-mailed me!! You guys rule!  
Anyways, sorry this is a bit late, but that couldn't be helped. But here it is,  
for those who were waiting to read it! As always, all disclaimers apply, etc. I  
do not own anything but my own stories. E-mail me with any comments or feedback  
at smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com, I hope to hear from you! Okay, without any further  
ado, here's Chapter 3...happy reading and remember to e-mail me!! :)  
-Luv,  
Thalia  
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In the coming months, Ami and Zoisite found that they could not wholly  
avoid communication. And they found out that, in spite of differences, both were  
able to respect and admire each other. Under Zoisite's crusty, temperamental  
facade, Ami found a talented, intelligent and truly warm-hearted man. And under  
her crisp, capable air and icy beauty, Zoisite found Ami to be a woman both soft  
hearted and strong-willed, with an intellect rivalling his own. Many an evening  
the two would sit with Sard Greenleaf in a parlor or outside, talking, laughing,  
playing chess or just enjoying each other's company in silence.  
On summer evening, nearly four months after Ami's arrival at Aquamyste,   
Zoisite proclaimed that he wanted to play his latest song for them, to "test it  
out" before he took it to agents and showed it to his fellow singer Jay Summers.  
Accordingly, the sleek black Steinway was opened, and Zoisite sat down to play..  
a slow, sweet love song.  
"When I first saw you, you had tears in your eyes.   
You had no clue of what you'd just done to me.  
With just one touch, I felt my soul could fly,  
And my heart was no longer free.  
  
What is this searing hunger?   
What is this aching thirst?  
This feeling of eternity and foreverness?  
For better or for worse?  
  
This is wonder, this is bliss,  
This is the deepest of loves.  
Two hearts thunder, two souls kiss,  
A gift from the Heavens above.  
  
You are my inspiration.  
You are my joy, my soulmate.  
My savior, my ruin, my fear.  
My delight, my love, my hate.  
  
A hand so small holds so much strength.  
A tranquil face masks a burning heart.  
Girl, you don't know the power of your smile,  
Or the memory of your eyes when we're apart.  
  
This is wonder, this is bliss,  
This is the deepest of loves.  
Two hearts thunder, two souls kiss,  
A gift from the Heavens above.  
  
I'd give my life to make you smile,  
Walk through fire to see your face,  
For you, I'd wait a thousand years,  
For you, go to any place.  
  
You live your life like always,  
You don't know how I feel,  
Yet, it is enough just to see you,  
And hold you in my dreams.  
  
This is wonder, this is bliss,  
This is the deepest of loves.  
Two hearts thunder, two souls kiss,  
A gift from the Heavens above."  
  
The song ended on a low, rolling cadence. Zoisite stopped and looked at  
Ami steadily. She smiled, a soft, beautiful smile, with tears in her eyes. "It  
is wonderful, Zoisite."  
"I'm glad you liked it, Ami." He replied, looking deeply into her eyes  
with an inscrutable but gentle look. Ami blushed slightly and looked down at her  
hands in confusion. Zoisite's eyes roved over her once more. Her little face was  
a most delightful, adorable shade of blush pink, and she looked beautiful. She  
was like a magnificent work of art or a splendid piece of nature, he could just  
look at her forever......  
Then, he suddenly remembered his father was still in the room, and of   
what Sard Greenleaf had told him about Ami and her doctor boyfriend last time.  
Hastily, he tried to repair any damage he might have done, it certainly would be  
unseemly to ogle and flirt with Ami if she was already taken! "I'm very glad you  
liked it, if you did, others probably will too."  
Ami somehow felt an insane sense of disappointment. Soon after, she   
made an excuse and went upstairs with a headache for the rest of the evening. As  
he watched her walk away, her form swathed in a white, flowing dress, a chiffon  
scarf of aquamarine fluttering behind her, Zoisite gritted his teeth and stared  
at the piano moodily. For the next week, both of them were somewhat silent and  
uncommunicative around each other.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
At the end of that silent week, Ami was given a day off and, as she had  
nothing else to do, she went to the hospital clinic to take care of paperwork   
and visit with patients. Before she knew it, it was 9:30 at night and dark. Ami  
had been dropped off by Waters in the morning, but it was an hour's drive at the  
least between Aquamyste and the infirmary, and it was a bit late to call. At   
that moment, her savior, in the form of Darien, came out of the emergency room.  
"Ugh! I'm bushed. What a day! I am going home. Do you want a ride, Ami?"  
"If it is no trouble." Ami replied.  
"Of course! Anything for Serena's best friend." Serena was a friend of  
Ami's since junior high, they had come to England together, and now Serena was   
the front desk receptionist at the same infirmary that Ami and Darien worked at.  
In fact, it was Ami who had introduced her to Darien. The two had hit it off   
from the start and were now engaged to be married.  
So Darien drove off with Ami by his side in his black Porsche. It was  
late, and started to rain. By the time Aquamyste came into view, it was already  
midnight. The gate was locked, but there was a side door for walking in. Ami got  
the key for it out of her purse, and Darien parked his car. He grabbed a large  
umbrella, and walked Ami to the door of the estate. To her amazement, Ami saw   
that one window was still alit, Zoisite's. She could make out his form standing  
right next to the window, looking at them, then, it disappeared.  
Ami reached the door and inserted her key into the keyhole. Gratefully,  
she gave Darien a brief hug. He hugged her back, then walked off back to his car  
with his umbrella. She turned back to the door, unlocked it and walked inside  
tiredly. She had just hung up her jacket when she felt an ironlike hand close  
over her wrist. Zoisite seemed to have materialized out of nowhere.  
"Who was that man who just left?" was the first thing he said.  
"He is Dr. Darien Chiba, a good friend of mine. Why?"  
"Is he worth coming home so late?"  
"If it were not for Darien's kindness, I would have gotten home much  
later." Ami was starting to feel a bit nettled at his persistent and suspicious  
questioning. Just what was he trying to do?  
Zoisite seemed unphazed by her tones. In fact, his tone was also rather  
irritable. "I don't like you coming home this late, especially with that man."  
Ami glared at him. What was the matter with him? Why did he act like...  
like a jealous boyfriend or something? "Firstly, I ask you to remember that this  
is NOT my home! Second and more importantly, what right do you have to butt into  
my life? It is none of your business!"  
Zoisite gave a short, cynical laugh. "Hear ye, hear ye, you're right, I  
have no right whatsoever to intrude into your life. But I have a reason."  
"What is it then?" Ami growled.  
"THIS!" He thundered before seizing Ami by her shoulders and kissing her  
fiercely.   
Ami felt dizzy as he kissed her. She had been kissed once or twice in   
the past, but never like this! The sensation was indescribable. As much as she  
hated to admit it, she was breathless and her knees felt like water, and she had   
to cling to him for support.  
Then, as the delirious moment passed, her firm self-control asserted   
itself once more. Giving herself a mental shaking, she pushed him away and ran  
up to her room like a frightened deer. Zoisite stared after her like one who had  
been hypnotized. Then smacked himself on the head.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
For the rest of the night, Ami lay awake in bed. Her lips still tingled  
and burned with his kiss. What did he mean by it? He was not drunk, she had not  
either smelled nor tasted alcohol on his lips. What did he want from her? And  
more importantly, what did she feel for him?  
Was this confusion love? She did not know. Was it just that her mind was  
muddled by the sheer surprise of the circumstances that night? She pondered the  
situation for hours to no avail, finally falling into a fitful slumber.  
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The next morning, when Ami went down to breakfast, Zoisite was nowhere  
to be found. Sard Greenleaf was already up, sitting outside on the verandah, and  
gazing at the magnificent gold and purple clouds of the sunrise in the indigo   
sky. Ami administered the injection of his medication and saw that at long last,  
his right hand's function was starting to return to normal. Sard Greenleaf's   
face had been serene since his son's return, and now turned to Ami, benevolent.  
"I heard that you got home rather late yesterday, lass."  
Ami nodded, her face flaming at the remembrance of what transpired after  
she got home. Sard Greenleaf looked at her, then asked half-jokingly, "Has my  
rude boy offended you? Don't take him seriously, he will snap out of it. Right  
now, he has gone with his song to his friend Jadeite's place. Jadeite and his  
fiancee Miss Rei Hino are coming over tonight. Do not be afraid, from what my  
boy has told me, they are two of the warmest lads and lasses you will ever meet.  
As for Zoi, do not take him seriously."  
"So, last night was just a 'passion of the moment' sort of thing, or,  
worse, a joke?" Ami thought miserably. Sard Greenleaf, seeing her pensiveness,   
chuckled and said, "Say, lass, you are a good hand a chess. Care to play a game  
with me? I need to practice my right hand's fine motor skills. It is high time I  
start writing my will."  
"All right." Ami agreed, and Beth was told to fetch the chessboard.   
Soon, the two were entrenched in a battle of wits. Sard Greenleaf's old  
hands quivered slightly, but his wits had never left him. In the end, although  
Ami had won, she had only won by a very narrow margin. But Sard Greenleaf looked  
at her with respect. "You are very good indeed. But before I forget, tonight, we  
are having a little get-together. Besides Jade and Rei, there shall be my niece  
Lita Kino and her fiance Nephrite Ralston, and my solicitor Kunzite Leigh and   
his wife Mina. All good friends. Anyways, I want you looking your best. So, get  
Emily and Waters, and buy the most expensive, becoming, posh evening gown you   
can find. Do not come back until you do."  
So, once again, Waters and Emily took Ami into the ritzy parts of town  
and the large, fancy stores along with the tiny, classy boutiques. Ami had never  
been much of a shopper or fashion-monger, her work did not require it and it had  
never been one of her hobbies, but now she looked at the ocean of satins and  
laces with pleasure. All were unique and beautiful: some ornate and decorated,  
others sleek and understated. The colors ranged from bright tropical green to   
jet black to pale, wistful lavender.  
Finally, Ami found what she was looking for. It was a delicate, soft  
shade of ice blue, with a heart-shaped neckline studded with teardrop crystals  
that glittered like falling stars on a sheeny border of satin. The dress itself  
was silk, backless and sleek, with a drooping voile bow in the back that floated  
on the long skirts, forming a slight train, tis ends fringed with the same drops  
of crystal that glittered all around the top. A matching voile scarf could be  
wrapped around her upper body, like a shawl. With it, she bought a pair of white  
fingerless lace opera gloves and pale blue satin slippers with delicate beadwork  
and high heels. Ami, with Emily's help, put it all on, and stepped out of the  
dressing room amid "Ooh"s and "Ahh"s, and paid for everything before delicately  
stepping into the black limousine where Waters was waiting, holding the door for  
her. The black limo's door closed after Ami and Emily got in, and Waters headed  
for home.  
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Surprise, surprise! I knew that I didn't plan on having it out this week, as I  
was rather busy, but I couldn't stand the thought of leaving y'all hanging!! :)  
Yes, I know, I'm great (j/k!)....Anyways, e-mail me with your comments!! More to  
come!! Chapter 4 in the works! A week or two!! E-mail me! E-mail me! E-mail me!!  
The addy is, as always, smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com. I hope to hear from you! Have  
a great day!!  
-Thalia ~_^ 


	4. Chapter 3

Of Kith and Kin: Chapter 4  
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Hi! Sorry this is a bit late!! I really couldn't help it! These past weeks have  
been HECTIC! And besides, I guess that it's better not to rush and submit work  
that is not my best...besides, it's here now, so don't worry!! Anyways, to the  
people who have e-mailed me, thank you lots! Hope to hear from you!! I realy do!  
Of course, positive e-mail is always the best, but you can even send me e-mail  
on what you think I should have done better, and I usually take it in stride:D!  
The addy is smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com. Hope to hear from you, and as usual, all  
da disclaimers apply. Blahblahblah. Happy reading!!  
-Thalia  
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When she had reached the mansion, Sard Greenleaf had retired for a short  
nap, but the rest of the servants, as well as Zoisite, were there to greet her.  
Davy had run out to the front door, when he heard the limo's arrival, and as   
soon as his friend had come out of the limo, had handed her a tiny bunch of shy  
violets from the garden. Ami thanked him, and Davy scampered off grinning ear to  
ear. A delectable aroma came from the kitchen, where Mrs. Neveson was cooking   
for the banquet. Zoisite was tinkering with a fancy-looking stereo system in the   
ballroom when he heard Mary call, "Why, Miss Ami, you look pretty as a picture!   
Master Zoisite, do come and have a look at her!" Zoisite came out, somewhat   
hesitantly, still recalling that impulsive but hauntingly sweet kiss that he had   
stolen the night before. He looked at her, and felt his mind reel.  
Ami was usually not one to flaunt her beauty, and even now she looked  
more "lovely" than "striking", but nevertheless he felt about to faint. She was  
wearing pale blue, neither too diaphanous nor too clingy, but just right. She  
also wore, pinned on her bodice, a fresh, fragrant bunch of dewy violets. She  
looked like a goddess...wait, no, that description was too grandiloquent and  
pretentious for her...more like a nymph, or an angel. But none of these ideas  
and thoughts were expressed. He simply inclined his head and said, "You look  
very nice."  
Nice? NICE?! That was all he could say? Ami sighed inwardly. His father  
was right. Last night was definitely a "passion of the moment" thing. She shook  
herself, and her floundering composure re-asserted itself. She nodded, her tone  
as cool as his, "Thank you."  
Zoisite looked at her, at her beautiful blue eyes. They were still the  
same clear, cerulean pools fringed with feathery blue eyelashes, but they were  
emotionless, almost glacial. He thought of last night, and how offended she  
likely was now. An apology was necessary. "Umm, Ami, I just want to tell you  
that I regret my hasty, rude actions and intrusive questioning towards you last  
night. I will not offend you again. And, ah...Ami, I wish nothing but the best   
for you and that doctor." His voice was cordial and calm, but seemed a trifle  
forced.  
Ami was silent for a moment, then replied, "Do not think too much on it  
Zoisite. I promise you that I will never allow anyone to do anything to me that  
I do not desire." She said carefully.  
Zoisite looked at her, silent. Then, the tension in the room was broken  
suddenly by the ringing of the doorbell. "Saved by the bell." Ami thought wryly  
as Zoisite went to open it. Then, she heard his voice become warm once more, an  
enthusiastic, "Jade! Rei! How are you? Welcome!"  
A seraphically handsome blond man of 27, mischievous blue eyes bright,   
the famed other singer of "Fire and Ice", with a strikingly beautiful raven   
haired woman of 25 dressed in red on his arm, entered the sitting room. Ami   
arose to meet them and Zoisite made the introductions.  
"So this is the Ami that Zoi had been raving about all day today. It is  
a pleasure indeed." Jadeite smiled, his face both charming and roguish at the  
same time. Zoisite's face reddened slightly. Jadeite, noting with satisfaction  
his friend's discomfiture, continued. "I must say, he has good taste." Now, it  
was Ami's turn to blush. But she liked Jadeite: he was charming, polished, very  
witty. His voice was a bit higher than Zoisite's, a bit more clipped, but still  
very mellow, and she could see how the two together could sell a song. Both him  
and Rei exuded an aura of crimson fire and passion. The group "Fire and Ice"   
had been well-named indeed.  
"Oh, do ignore him." Rei cut in, a warm smile on her face.  
"Glad to make your acquaintance, Miss Rei."  
"Just Rei, please. Where are you from? You do not sound English." Ami  
smiled. This Rei was a strong person, she could tell, and much warmer and more   
honest than the likes of Carnelian Greenleaf.  
"I came from America. I went to college in Stanford before they gave me  
the chance to study abroad at Cambridge. And I have been here since."  
"You're from America too? So am I! But I lived out on the east coast. I  
took theology and martial arts at Amherst."  
"Really? When did you come to England?"  
"Four years ago. Actually, I was not supposed to. I was at the airport,  
just stopping in England, in the middle of a flight from a kendo tournament in  
France, on my way home. But then, at the airport, in this cafe, I met Jade, and  
we started talking. And to make a long story, we hit it off right away, and I  
actually lost track of time and missed my flight! He offered to let me stay   
with him, and I did, and I never left. Fell madly, crazily in love with him in  
a matter of minutes. I didn't tell him, but the next day, because I didn't want  
to impose upon him, I was about to call to reschedule a flight, and he told me  
that he did not want me to. We got engaged that very day. Several months after  
that, one day, I was out buying some food. There was a great number of people  
at the store, and in front of me was this man who looked sad and lonely. As I  
had nothing to do but wait until I got to the cashier, I started talking to   
him. Found out that he was Zoisite Greenleaf, Jade's best friend, whom he had  
been talking about. I got very excited and rung up Jade on my cell phone at  
once. The two boys got together and now you have it: 'Fire and Ice'. And" Rei  
grinned impishly, "I was the one who made it possible."  
Ami chuckled. She liked Rei and felt like she could be friends with her.  
Rei continued, "I think that what you are doing is wonderful, though."  
"Oh, my profession? Yes, I enjoy it very much."  
"No." Rei looked at Ami steadily with violet eyes that bored into the   
soul. "You know very well what I meant. Zoisite had not been half as happy in   
years. You have made him see what he was missing. Do you think that Jade and I   
do not know his story? We do, but no matter how hard we tried, we could not   
reach him. You have done something wonderful for both him and his father."  
Ami looked down, a bit abashed. THAT? She had simply told Zoisite a few  
blunt, outspoken truths. Perhaps Zoisite had not been ready to accept them til  
then. It was nothing but correct timing...Ding-dong! The doorbell rang again.  
At that moment, Sard Greenleaf descended the staircase. He reached the  
door before Zoisite, who had been talking with Jadeite, could. "Ah, Leigh! Good  
evening! Mina, always a pleasure. Welcome!"  
Another couple, slightly older, entered. One was a tall and serious but  
nevertheless very kindly and handsome looking man of 31 years dressed in gray,  
and another was a beautiful woman slightly younger, wearing a dress as golden as  
her plentious tresses, a sweet smile reaching her blue eyes. Sard Greenleaf was  
the one to introduce the two guests this time. "This gentleman is Kunzite Leigh,   
my indispensible personal solicitor, and his lovely wife, Mina, who in 3 months  
or so will be the proud mother to a baby girl." The others gave their polite  
congratulations, and Sard Greenleaf led Kunzite away as Mina joined the other  
women.   
Ami soon learned that Mina had a cheerful, optimistic temperament, a son  
of four named Eric, a blissful marriage of 5 years, and a degree in psychology.  
She was a respectable woman in her own right, not just as the wife of an eminent  
solicitor, but as a first-rate psychologist for 3 years. She was 29 years old,   
wholly free from any sort of artifice, snobbery or unkindness. Soon, she and Ami  
and Rei were talking like old friends, as if they had known each other for all   
of their lives. Her husband, Kunzite, had met her when the two were both at the  
curb waiting for a cab on a rainy day. Finally, one solitary cab showed up, and  
as both were unwilling to wait for another one, they rode together, then started  
dating. That was almost 6 years ago, and as soon as Kunzite had finished his law  
degree, the two had married. The two were very close to Sard Greenleaf, and were  
his closest confidantes. Mina was sweet and tactful, but extremely sharp. Within  
minutes, she had picked up on the covert glances that both Zoisite and Ami were  
stealing at each other when the other was not looking. She smiled silently to  
herself.  
Soon, the last guests arrived, Miss Estrellita Ivy De Remie Kino, known  
commonly as Lita, and her fiance Nephrite Starr Ralston. Like the other women,  
Lita was genuine, unpretentious, strong and easy to get along with. She was an  
independent, confident woman, having long been used to taking care of herself,   
with the lack of a mother. Nephrite was perfectly likeable also, a professor of  
astrophysics, who treated everyone with behavior befitting "an officer and a  
gentleman". The two had met a year ago, when a flowerpot that she had carelessly  
knocked off of her balcony in her penthouse apartment had barely missed hitting  
his head as he had been passing below. Sard Greenleaf greeted both Lita and her  
fiance warmly and asked them to sign a few things for his will. Then, dinner was   
announced, and everyone filed into the dining hall.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
After eating a delicious meal, everyone went to the ballroom. Jadeite  
took the lead in conversation. "I hand it to you, Zoi. That song you wrote will  
be a great hit. But it is surprising, you usally write wonderful sad songs and  
fast songs, but this is the first love song you have undertaken. What sparked  
that sudden change in your style?"  
Zoisite's face was a blank mask, and he shrugged nonchalantly, "I do not  
know, it just came to me one night."  
"Ah, he must have a muse!" Mina said slyly. "How wonderful! But I wish   
to hear the song."  
"Certainly." Jadeite volunteered. He and Zoisite put the newly made CD  
into the stereo system and the instrumentals started softly in the background.   
Zoisite started to sing the first verse, his green eyes fixed on Ami. Jadeite   
soon joined him at the chorus. The entire effect, with the instrumentals and the  
addition of Jadeite's voice, made the song sound even richer than before, but  
for some reason, Ami had rather liked it when Zoisite was singing it alone...  
Her thoughts were interrupted by applause. The song had ended, and soft  
music for dancing had been put on. The lights were dimmed, and soon, Kunzite  
and Mina, Jadeite and Rei, and Nephrite and Lita started to dance slowly to the  
music. Ami smiled wistfully, then quietly left them to go out to the balcony.   
But Mina the psychologist was not about to let her go so quickly. She winked at  
her husband, who understood and smiled indulgently, and the two started to dance  
closer and closer to where Zoisite was standing, still fiddling with the blasted  
stereo system. Mina "accidentally gave him a gentle kick with her high heel, and  
coughed, then looked in the direction of the balcony where Ami was standing by  
herself, and winked. Zoisite's face reddened slightly, but Mina simply grinned  
wider than ever, and gave him an encouraging nod.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
Zoisite walked toward the balcony, and soon stood right next to Ami,   
whose face shimmered bluish silver in the milky moonlight, looking more lovely  
and ethereal than ever. She turned and looked at Zoisite, her gaze gentle yet  
penetrating, and she asked him softly, "Why are you not with the others?"  
"I should be asking you the same thing."  
"I am but a nurse, your father's employee. I do not fit in that scene."  
"I do not, either."  
"But, why not? You are of the same class as them, you do belong."  
"No." Zoisite drew closer, holding her gaze so intently that a tiny tear  
beaded her eyelashes. "What is wrong?"  
Ami shook her head and smiled. "Is it not a beautiful scene in there?"   
She said, gesturing the ballroom.  
"Yes." Zoisite tentatively cupped her little face in his hands and wiped  
away the escaping, mutinous teardrops. "But if you think it so beautiful, why  
are you not in there?"  
"Because I do not belong! I mean, look at them, look at how Mina leans  
her head on Kunzite's shoulder! Look at how soulfully Nephrite looks at Lita!   
Look at Rei and Jadeite, whispering sweet nothings to each other! How could I  
possibly belong? But you should be there. You ARE the host, after all. Do not   
neglect your guests for me."  
"I belong right here with you, Ami." Zoisite said earnestly and gently.   
"Jade was telling the truth when he said that I have never written a love song  
worth anything before, and for good reason. I have never understood love before   
I met you. Ami, I know that I have been presumptious, arrogant and rude to you   
in the past. But can you forgive me enough to give me a chance? Because I love   
you."  
Ami looked at him, shocked. For a few moments, she was at a loss for   
words. Zoisite looked at her, and mistook the meaning of her silence. He sighed,  
and the polite but forced and mechanical Zoisite of the afternoon returned and  
he whispered, "Forgive my presumption, Ami. I did not mean to offend you."  
Ami gasped as he turned away to leave. It was time to take some action.  
Going totally out of her usual composed, subdued self for once, Ami called out,  
"Wait, I forgot something, I owe you something."  
Zoisite turned around, looking at her, confused, but did not have time  
to react when she, the initiator this time around, fastened a pair of soft,   
sweet lips upon his own.  
Zoisite felt time stand still as a pair of bare, soft arms wended their   
way around his neck. Suddenly, a wave of protectiveness and emotion washed over   
him, and as fiercely and desperately as she had initiated the kiss, he deepened   
it. He embraced her lithe form tightly yet gently, his fingers grazing where the  
back of her gown met silky skin.  
They finally parted for breath, and this time, did not loosen their  
embrace. Ami raised her hauntingly beautiful blue eyes to his face, drowning in  
emotions, then leaned her head against his shoulder, unable to meet his intense  
gaze. She felt his body tremble, his cheek pressed to her own damp one. She felt  
her eyes overflowing again. Usually, she would have considered this inordinate  
weakness on her part, but now, she felt totally safe in her very vulnerability,   
as he whispered those three words, "I love you", into her ear....again....and  
again....and again.  
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All righty then! That was Chapter 4! Like it? Hate it? E-mail me! Okay, I know  
that there wasn't much action here, but there will be MORE COMING!! Trust me!! I  
have started Chapter 5 and believe me there will be more plot and drama and not  
just sappy romance...so...anyways, with any other comments, e-mail them, as is  
usual, to smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com. Hope to hear from you!! Chapter 5 to be out  
in a week or two, look for it!!  
-Thalia 


	5. Chapter 4

Of Kith and Kin - Chapter 5  
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Hey! How are ya? Here is Chapter 5 for your reading pleasure (or displeasure, as  
the case may be...hope not, though~_^). Which reminds me, e-mail me with any and  
all comments!! The addy is smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com, I hope to hear from you! I  
really do!! So give me some feedback! As always, all disclaimers apply, yadda  
yadda yadda...need we go over this again? So, without any further ado, here is  
Chapter 5! Enjoy!  
-Thalia  
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The next morning, when Ami woke up, Emily stood at the foot of her bed,  
holding a bouquet of white roses and grinning ear to ear. "Good morning, Miss  
Ami. Did you have sweet dreams?"  
Ami blushed, but the dreamy, faraway look in her eyes gave her away. She  
got up from bed, and dressed in a dainty white dress trimmed with green lace at  
the neckline, the same color as his eyes. She blushed even deeper at her wayward  
thoughts.  
But soon, she was ready to go downstairs for breakfast. For once, Sard  
Greenlead was not up with the sun, and Ami realized with a pang that the old man  
was indeed quite past his prime. But Zoisite was already down. Suddenly feeling  
shy, Ami stopped at the entrance of the room. But he sensed her presence, and he  
looked up casually and impersonally, though his eyes gleamed like emeralds, and  
he said, "Good day, Ami, did you have a good night's sleep?"  
Ami caught on to the game, and she too put up a mask of apathy and made  
small talk. This exchange lasted for about 3 minutes, before both, smiling with  
bliss, embraced.  
They stayed thus, just holding each other, until they heard footsteps  
coming down the stairs. Hastily, then, they separated, guilty blushes reddening  
their cheeks.  
"Good morning, both of you, hope you had a good time last night." Sard  
Greenleaf called out. "Kunzite, Rei and Lita will all be here this morning to   
help out with my will. The ladies will be staying for tea, I believe. Do you  
have any objections?"  
"No, of course not." Zoisite replied quickly.  
"Good, let us eat then." And so they sat down to eat breakfast, Ami and  
Zoisite's frequent glances towards each other did not go unnoticed by the cagey  
old man, who muttered to himself about inheritance and beneficiaries.  
That morning, Sard Greenleaf was not feeling well. Both his appetite and  
temper were bad. Ami administered his medication and attended to him until he   
became annoyed and groused that, "I am fine! You are making me nervous with your  
fussing, lass! Stop being a mother hen!"  
"Cluck, cluck, Mr. Greenleaf, you must rest." Ami said firmly. At Sard  
Greenleaf's mutinous expression, she gently but adamantly pulled the covers up  
around him. "I must insist you rest." Sard Greenleaf muttered, "Little tyrant!"  
under his breath, but slumbered until Kunzite's arrival.  
Then, the two men shut themselves in his quarters and discussed the will  
in private. Soon, Lita and Rei arrived as well, just as Sard Greenleaf emerged  
from his quarters on Kunzite's arm. "Rei, my lass, you must come and witness my  
will. And Lita, you and Zoi, as my relations, must sign it too. You must all be  
witnesses that I, Sard Fitsgerald Islington Greenleaf do hereby sign this and  
vouchsafe its contents as my last will and testament. As he signed his full name  
at the bottom of the document, Ami noticed with concern that his hand shook more  
than usually. Rei signed her full name at the bottom in an upright, neat hand  
that was crisp and free of frills. Then Lita signed her full name in a large,   
slightly slanted handwriting, Zoisite signed his full name in medium-sized,  
flowing letters, and Kunzite signed his full name is a small, precise script. He  
then ceremoniously sealed and stamped the document, putting it away in his neat  
briefcase, before bidding a solemn but kind farewell to his client and friend.  
Just moments after his departure, the door opened to reveal two much  
more unwelcome presences: Rubeus and Carnelian Greenleaf. Sard's face darkened.  
Zoisite stood up by his father, his verdant eyes filled with such loathing that  
Ami was alarmed. Rei looked at the newcomers with a mixture of confusion and  
foreboding: something did not seem quite...right...good...decent...about those  
two. Lita looked at them with disapproval evident in her frown.  
Rubeus put on a sickeningly ingratiating face, ignoring the glares from  
his father. Carnelian strode up to the old man and boldly leaned over him to   
kiss his cheek. Sard Greenleaf grimaced at the excessive amount of perfume she  
wore, and as soon as she had left, he barked out to Ami, "Hand me a piece of   
cotton or something soaked in alcohol or peroxide or some disinfectant! For the  
love of God just let me wipe any remnants of that harpy off my face!"  
Carnelian's lips tightened, but her fake smile returned again and she  
cooed like a sick pigeon, "Papa, you look poorly. Are you sure that--THAT--over  
there is taking proper care of you?" Indicating Ami.  
"I was fine until you came, you worthless, despicable bitch!" The old  
man growled, "And do NOT insult the lass."  
Carnelian's temper flared, "What? 'Lass' indeed! Ah, but no wonder. She  
is a slut just like all of her type."  
Rubeus glanced at his hated half-brother, noticing Zoisite's malevolent  
eyes narrowed to slits, his near apoplectic fury, and said, "Father always DID  
have a penchant for these low-class whores."  
For a moment, the room was totally silent. Then, Sard Greenleaf, his   
eyes blazing, his veins bulging and pulsating at his temples, pointed a shaking  
finger at Rubeus and Amber, and gasped out, "Damn you both to Hell, you demonic  
monsters! A whore indeed! There is not a single whore in the room except for   
that bitch of yours, Rubeus!"   
"Cordelia was nothing but a presumptious whore, NOTHING but a WHORE!"   
Rubeus sneered.  
"And that 'lass' of yours is just like her." Carnelian sniggered.   
Zoisite could not take it any longer. BAM!!! His fist connected with  
Rubeus' face, and a splintering of cartilage could be heard as blood flowed from  
Rubeus' now broken nose. Rubeus staggered, but his eyes still held that maniacal  
light, and he still chanted, "Nothing but a whore!" like a lunatic. Zoisite,   
with a roar of rage, punched, kicked and hit him, maddened like a bull. At that  
moment, Sard Greenleaf, under Carnelian's jarring laughter, flinched all of the  
sudden, put a hand up to his heart, and collapsed. Ami jumped from her chair and  
with Lita's help, caught him as he fell and laid him on the ground. Ami checked  
frantically for a pulse, and, finding none, started CPR as Lita rushed to call  
the doctor.  
Rei took one look at Sard Greenleaf and agilely vaulted over the figures  
on the ground to where Zoisite was, and put him in a restraining headlock. Then,  
as Rubeus moved in to hit his rival, she spun around, swinging Zoisite behind   
her and away from the fray, and with a terrific fly kick, prostrated Rubeus. She  
yelled to Zoisite that his father was unconscious, and at that moment, Zoisite  
finally seemed to go back to reality and dashed over to his father's prone body.  
Rei turned back to Rubeus Greenleaf, who was being helped up by his wife.  
"You two ruffians have five seconds to get the hell out. If you don't, I  
swear on my honor as a 7th degree black belt that you will live to rue the day,   
but only barely." Saying so, she cracked her knuckles. "OUT!!!!"  
Rubeus and Carnelian, seeing the blazing fire in the raven-haired girl's  
violet eyes, took her advice and bolted.  
But it was too late. When the paramedics had arrived, Darien with them,  
they were just in time to pronounce Sard Greenleaf dead from cardiac arrest.  
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Ami, walking stiffly, her face ashen and expressionless as a zombie's,  
stumbled up the stairs and into her room. She had perfunctorily finished all the  
paperwork involved with Sard Greenleaf's death, and had taken a cab to return to  
Aquamyste. She had enjoined Waters to bring the distraught, distracted Zoisite  
home, and to make him sleep. Waters had obeyed her directions, and Zoisite was  
sleeping like an exhausted child in his room. Emily, sniffling slightly, her new  
engagement ring glittering in the fading sunlight, looked at her expectantly.  
Ami looked at Emily with a weary smile. "Congratulations, Emily, I wish  
you two the best of luck."  
Emily nodded, smiling slightly. "Thank you, Miss Ami. Do you want to nap  
a while just like Master Zoisite?"  
Ami shook her head with finality. She had struggled with herself, cried  
with an uncharacteristic emotional abandon the entire way home, but there was  
nothing else to be done about it. "Emily, please get my valise."  
"Y-your valise?" Emily stammered, "Wh-what do you want that for?"  
Ami looked at the younger girl's owlish wide eyes gently and sadly. "I  
must go. If I stay, I will ruin him. He cannot afford for someone like me to be  
about, the controversy...anyway, Emily, just get my valise, open it, and put my  
things into it."  
Emily, confused, did as she was told. "Miss Ami, why are you leaving? We  
would all of us miss you something dreadful, especially young Master Zoisite."  
The lamplight in front of her eyes became a misty golden cloud as Ami's  
eyes blurred with tears. "I am leaving FOR him, Emily, I am leaving because I  
love him!" Her slim form trembled as she let the tears flow freely. Emily didn't  
know why Miss Ami's leaving would benefit Master Zoisite in any way, but was  
nevertheless touched by the poignant love in Miss Ami's pretty face and in the  
heartbroken tears dripping down her cheeks. Silently, she blinked away her own  
tears and packed Miss Ami's belongings neatly into her valise as Miss Ami sat  
down at her desk and wrote out a missive to Master Zoisite.  
"17 August, Aquamyste  
  
Dear Zoisite,  
Do not grieve when you read this. At least, no more than  
you already are. I know how empty and anguished and bereft you  
must already feel. Your father is now in a better place, he has  
been reunited with your mother, and he is happy. The son of his  
heart has grown to be a wonderful man whom he is extremely proud  
of. His spirit will remain with you always, and I daresay you   
shan't disappoint him. He loved you at least as much as you love  
him.  
As for me, to be honest, nothing gives me greater pain,  
nothing ever has or ever will again, to part from the man I love  
and shall love until I die. I cannot say how much it hurts to  
leave you, and had I had a choice, I would stay by your side for  
ever and ever. But that cannot be. You are Zanth Winters, rich  
and famous musician, you are Zoisite Greenleaf, the son of Sard  
Greenleaf, wealthy, of the top social circles. I am but a middle  
class born nurse who was hired by your father. I would ruin you,  
destroy your reputation, make you a pariah. It makes my heart  
bleed in pain to part from you, but I cannot stay. I hope you   
will understand, and I wish you happiness always. Do not try  
to look for me. You might find someone else someday. Perhaps, in   
a different lifetime, we shall meet again. Just remember always,   
no matter where you go, that I will love you forever.  
  
God Bless you,  
Ami Mizuno"  
Ami signed her name, and a tear fell like a drop of liquid crystal onto  
the paper, blurring the word "ruin" into a hazy pool of blue ink. She resolutely  
wiped her tears away, recollected herself and strode, shoulders back, head held  
high, to Zoisite's room. He was lying on his bed, fast asleep. Ami studied his  
face carefully: she never noticed how long his eyelashes were before, until now.  
Then she slapped herself mentally for losing control of her heart again, and her  
carefully blank face held no expression as she laid her letter silently down on  
his desk. Softly, she bent down and gave him a last kiss before she went back to  
her room, picked up her valise, strode downstairs, outside, and hailed a cab to  
go away. From the departing taxi's window, she looked back at the splended old  
mansion, bidding it farewell as she closed that chapter of her life.  
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Okay! How do you like? Chapter 6 is actually done, I just have to finish typing  
it! It's short, so it should be out in a week...anyways, once again, e-mail me  
with your comments to smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com, hope to hear from you:)!! See  
ya in a week!!  
-Thalia 


	6. Chapter 5

Of Kith and Kin: Chapter 6  
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Hi! Thalia here with Chapter 6 as promised! E-MAIL ME WITH YOUR COMMENTS PLEASE!  
I haven't been getting lots of e-mail lately and wanna know why and what you are  
thinking about my work^_^!! Anyways, the address is smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com. I  
wanna hear from you! As usual, all disclaimers apply, blahblahblah...on with the  
story!! REMEMBER TO E-MAIL ME!!!!  
-Thalia  
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Ami did not go back to her apartment, or to the hospital. She took the  
cab straight to Serena's apartment. It was a Sunday, so Serena and Darien should  
be home. She ran into the building and took the elevator up to the top floor.   
Serena was home indeed, cooking spaghetti and meatballs in the kitchen  
as Darien was setting the table. She heard a knock on the door, and opened it to  
see her best friend, carrying her worn valise, standing in front of her. "Ami!  
What a surprise! Darien, darling, Ami's here, set an extra place at the table!   
How have you been, girl? We didn't expect you here, but you're welcome anyways,  
like always. Thanks for com----" Ami was silent as Serena chattered amiably, and   
Serena noticed her friend's pale, tragic face and stopped mid-sentence. Her face  
becamse serious, and she quietly asked, "What happened?"  
Ami gave a pathetic laugh, "Serena, can I stay here? I mean, I'll sleep  
on the couch, I'll pay rent, do the cooking and laundry, anything. Can I just   
stay here?"  
Serena nodded mutely and Darien came out of the kitchen, both looking at  
Ami with concern. "Of course you can stay. But can you tell us what's wrong?"  
Ami shook her head silently and slowly, images of her and Zoisite once  
again re-playing in her head...his voice, his smile, the way his eyes darkened  
from jade to forest green when he looked at her, right before he kissed her....  
She vaguely felt tears slipping down her cheeks. The tears turned to sobs, and  
soon the always-cool, calm and collected Ami was crying like a heartbroken angel  
in Serena's arms. The blonde woman looked at her friend's dejected face, heard  
her whispering, "Zoisite! Oh, Zoisite!" brokenly as she wept. In a flash, she  
understood. Ami had fallen in love with someone, and now had to part from him. A  
wave of sympathy and understanding washed over her, and she gave Ami a hug.  
Darien, gentlemanly as always, handed Ami a handkerchief and asked her  
if there was anything he could do. Ami shook her head, then suddenly seemed to  
recall something. She opened her handbag: inside was a CD in a CD case. She took  
it out and showed it to Darien and Serena.  
It was the smash hit debut album of "Fire and Ice". The cover of the CD  
case had a simple yet arresting design: it was divided into two halves: one half  
bright with flames surrounding Jay Summers' face, the other chill with icicles  
about Zanth Winters' face. Suddenly, the calm, icy Ami returned, asserting her  
control and shoving emotional Ami back. She swallowed, and coolly pointed to the  
slightly melancholy but handsome face of Zanth Winters on the CD case. "If any  
man even remotely resembling him looks for me at work, I'm not there. Do you two  
understand?"  
Serena and Darien nodded, rather confused. Ami's instructions were quite  
unusual, but she likely had her own reasons.  
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Zoisite had gone wild when he saw Ami's note. How could she leave now,  
when he needed her the most?! He stormed to her room in a fit of rage, intending  
to fire poor Emily on the spot for letting her out. But the first thing he saw   
in the room was the picture of his mother, with himself as a boy in her arms. He  
took a deep breath...he could still smell the indefineable scent that seemed to  
be uniquely Ami's...fresh and cool, invigorating, bracing, like a breeze wafting  
inland from the sea, yet with a hint of sweetness like pure white waterlilies or  
spring violets buried underneath it. He suddenly realized something: true love  
was entirely selfless, it expected nothing, it was higher and holier than any   
mortal desire could ever reach. If he truly loved her, he would not condemn her  
for leaving. Love had no reasons, it just was. Zoisite, like his Ami had before  
him, did something he had not done in a long, long time. He cried. Emily, simple  
minded but sympathetic, watched him silently as he, a grown man, cried, burying  
his handsome face in his hands, just like Miss Ami had done. She did not know  
how to put it in words, but she somehow understood how Master Zoisite felt, how  
Miss Ami felt. Breaching the servant-master boundary, she shyly touched him on  
the shoulder. "Miss Ami loves you, Master Zoisite."  
Zoisite looked up with red-rimmed green eyes at the small girl, her wide  
eyes with a curious companionable light in them. "I loved her, Emily, dammit, I  
LOVED HER!!"  
Emily nodded, "I know, Master Zoisite, and she loved you back."  
Zoisite started, "Back! Yes, I WILL get her back...I'll be damned if I  
let her go so easily!"  
Emily looked away, shaking her head slightly. "Nay, Master Zoisite, Miss  
Ami can be anywhere in the world right now. If she had left you, you would not  
find her." she whispered. But Zoisite was already gone.   
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"Good morning, how may I help you?" Serena looked up with a smile. Then,  
the smile faded and her blue eyes became huge. Here he was, in the flesh, with  
no bodyguard, no disguise! She was looking at Zanth Winters, in the flesh! He  
was a handsome devil, all right, but his eyes...they looked so...so...beaten. A  
patient in the waiting area recognized him and gave a soft shriek. Lightning-  
fast, she took a crayon from the children's play table and a napkin, and with a  
string of breathless exclamations and adorations flying from her mouth, she went  
up to him for his autograph. He perfunctorily signed the napkin, "Zanth Winters"  
in a neat handwriting, and gave the fan a forced smile. The girl chattered about  
nothing for a few minutes, then, blushing when she realized that he had come on  
some urgent business, ran off. Serena's suspicions were confirmed. This was the  
man all right. He turned to her, and asked humbly, "Is Ami Mizuno in?"  
Serena shook her head silently. The tiny glimmer of hope in the man's   
eyes faded. He sighed, "Well, if she shows, please tell her that I was looking   
for her."  
Serena nodded, and Zoisite, looking about to make sure that there were   
no paparazzi lining the street, got into the navy Lexus next to Waters and left  
the clinic.   
He came every morning, always asking for Ami. More and more autographs  
had to be signed. Once, a gaggle of paparazzi reporters, alerted by some fans,  
also came, and blocked the door. Zoisite looked at them wearily. He was NOT in  
the mood for this...Ami did not show up at work any more...she knew that he'd be  
looking for her there...what a miserable day! Serena, taking pity on him, and  
worrying about what effects the crowds may have on the patients, called for the  
security guards to clear the crowd. Zoisite barely made it out the door, but he  
came again the next day...and the next...  
Serena was desperate. Every evening she would find herself begging Ami   
on his behalf to talk to him, to straighten things out. "Come now, Ami, he's no  
fool, and I'm not a good liar. Besides, with all these crowds at the clinic, the  
patients..."  
Ami would apologize, but remain adamant about her stance. Serena would  
become upset, but to no avail.  
Darien, seeing the situation, decided to step in so that Zoisite would  
stop pestering Serena. The next morning, once again, Zoisite entered the clinic  
after signing a dozen or so autographs for the faithful fans camped out at the  
door, but this time, Zoisite found his path to the receptionist's desk blocked..  
not by fans, but by a tall, black-haired doctor in a white lab coat embroidered  
with the name, "Dr. D. Chiba". He immediately recognized the man as that doctor,  
whom Ami had come home with, late, that day...the name...that doctor that his  
father had hinted...and what was he saying?  
"Pardon?" Zoisite said.  
Darien repeated his statement with finality in his voice. "Please do not  
come to bother my fiancee any more."  
Zoisite's face turned snowy white. His face contorted, almost as if in  
physical pain, and he left.  
The fans and paparazzi were disappointed the next morning. Zanth Winters  
did not show up. And he never came again.  
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Duhn duhn duhn!! That's all for Chapter 6! Enjoyed? Yes? No? Send me your e-mail  
to smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com!! Anyways, more coming up in a week or two! More  
twists in this already convoluted plot...lol....see ya then!! And repeat after   
me..."I will e-mail Thalia TODAY and tell her just what I thought of her work!!"   
Have fun!!  
-Thalia 


	7. Chapter 6

Of Kith and Kin: Chapter 7  
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Hi, it's Thalia here again. For my devoted readers, sorry about the mix-up with   
Chapter 5 and 6, please forgive me! Anyways, the different chapters are now   
cleared up, and here's Chapter 7 for your reading enjoyment (I hope!)...  
Speaking of which, I want to hear your feedback!! Please e-mail me with your   
comments at smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com! I wanna know what you think!! Ok I think   
that's it...all disclaimers apply as usual. Enjoy!!  
-Thalia  
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Weeks have passed. Gradually, Ami started getting used to the empty   
feeling she had inside. Gradually, she was able to go to sleep at night without   
crying. Gradually, she was able to produce a shaky smile for her patients. The   
healing process had begun, and then, unexpectedly, her world was shattered  
again.  
One uneventful day at the clinic, a woman in labor was brought in.   
About three hours afterwards, Ami, who had just emerged from a patient's room   
and was about to take her leave, met the obstetrician Dr. Holly Tomoe, coming   
out of the birthing room. Outside of Darien and Serena, Dr. Tomoe was, perhaps,   
Ami's best friend in the clinic. A slight, delicate but ambitious woman of 28,   
with chin-length dark hair and violet eyes that made a stark contrast to her   
pale, pretty face, Dr. Tomoe greeted Ami and asked her to go to the waiting room   
and, "Kindly inform Mr. Lee that his wife had given birth to a healthy baby   
girl, whom she has named Aurora Rose."  
Ami nodded and walked out to the waiting room. She looked around, and   
saw a very familiar face. He looked a little worse for wear, his face a bit wan   
and worried due to the stress that he had undergone, but still the handsome,   
kindly gentleman that she had remembered. She gasped. He looked up, his bright   
eyes full of shock, then incredulously said, "Miss Mizuno? Is it really you?"  
Ami's mind belatedly began to catch up. Mrs. Leigh was none other than   
Mina, and the happy father was Kunzite Leigh, Sard Greenleaf's old solicitor!!   
Her thoughts flew immediately to Zoisite, but she tamped those thoughts down   
with iron discipline. Faintly, she said, "Congratulations, Mr. Leigh, your wife   
had just given birth to a healthy baby girl whom she has named Aurora Rose."  
"Capital!" Kunzite gave one of his rare smiles. "Would you care to come   
with me to see Mina?"  
Ami assented and followed the tall man down the corridor to Mina's room.   
Mina lay on her hospital bed, pale and tired, but jubilant as well, proudly   
looking at an infant child in a crib next to her bed, whose head was covered   
with downy pale gold hair and whose eyes were, amazingly, open, of luminous   
blue-gray, and inquisitive. Kunzite headed over to his wife, tenderly kissing   
her as Ami shyly hung back by the door. Mina greeted her husband with love,  
but soon noticed someone standing at the door. She looked at Ami, then she  
exclaimed, "Oh my goodness, is that you, Ami?"  
Ami came in and sat down by Mina's bed. The older woman's face was   
alight with smiles. "Ami! It is so good to see you again!! Where have you been?   
Well, it does not matter now, what a coincidence! Kunz and I were at my mum's   
house when I went into labor, and this was the closest facility around!"  
Ami smiled, "It is good to see you, too, Mina. How have you been?"  
"Marvelous, thank you. But unfortunately not every one has been as   
happy as I. Zoisite has become rather desolate after your departure."  
Ami's face paled, and she stared at the floor. Mina looked at her   
kindly and appraisingly, her face had the same look of heartbreak that Zoisite's   
had had. And...Mina suddenly took hold of Ami's hands. She looked at them  
carefully, then dropped them back onto the bedsheet. "Ami, you are not engaged?"  
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"No, of course not. Wherever in the world did you get that idea?" Ami   
asked curiously.  
"No, nothing, dear." Mina smiled brilliantly. "Isn't there anyone   
engaged in this clinic?"  
"Oh, my friend Dr. Darien Chiba is engaged, to the receptionist Serena   
Tsukino out in the lobby. But I am certainly not engaged." Ami replied, a bit   
confused as to how Mina could have come up with such an extraneous idea.  
Kunzite cleared his throat and said. "I hate to interrupt this little   
tete-a-tete, but I must speak to Ami on business." Turning to the lady in   
question, he said, "I have put off the reading of Sard Greenleaf's will until   
you could be found. You are one of the beneficiaries, and I did not want Rubeus   
and Carnelian Greenleaf to go and take your inheritance. Now that you are here,   
you must go to the reading of the will. It shall be two weeks from now, at  
Aquamyste, on Sunday, at noon. Will you please try to be there?"  
Ami hesitated. She knew that if she went, she would see HIM again,   
but...from Kunzite's tone, it seemed like important business. But then again,   
there would certainly be others there as well. She could just leave right   
afterwards. "All right, I will be there." She promised.  
Kunzite nodded and said kindly, "Do not worry, Miss Ami. I will make   
sure that he will not make any scenes there."  
Ami nodded. At that moment, Dr. Tomoe came in. "Ami, it seems you know  
these people."  
"Yes." Ami said quietly, "Mr. Leigh was the solicitor of the late Sard   
Greenleaf."   
"Ah." Dr. Tomoe nodded. "Well, Mr. Leigh, Mrs. Leigh, your daughter was   
born at exactly 6:18, she is 22 inches long, 7 pounds 9 ounces in weight, with   
ash blonde hair and blue-gray eyes, blood type B negative, likely to grow to 5   
feet 5 inches tall, with no genetic defects or diseases. She is a little beauty   
and I offer my sincere congratulations. However, it is time for the new mother  
and baby to sleep."  
"Of course." Ami gave Mina's hand a slight squeeze, and Kunzite kissed   
his wife and baby daughter again, before the two of them, followed by Dr.  
Tomoe, walked out of the room, turning out the lights behind her and wheeling   
the crib to the nursery.  
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The next morning, Ami went to visit Mina, who was still staying in the  
infirmary. She entered the room to find it piled with presents: A teddy bear   
with a dozen red mylar balloons from Rei and Jadeite, a thermos of hot chicken   
soup and cans of baby formula from Lita and Nephrite, a huge bouquet of yellow   
roses from Kunzite, a CD of Baby Mozart from someone named Michelle Kaiou, a few   
baby clothes from someone named Susan Meiou, and...a garish, hideous silk robe,   
bronze and purple striped with a sickly green paisley all over it, from...  
Carnelian S. Eval-Greenleaf, written in elaborate, mincing script on a gilt gift   
tag. Mina smiled ruefully as Ami looked at the ugly item and grimaced. "I think  
she is trying at the last minute to...well, have me convince Kunz to...find  
additional mentions of her name in Mr. Greenleaf's will. What shall I do with  
such a...well, garment? Do you think I should use it as a cover for the changing   
table, perhaps?"  
Ami shook her head decidedly. "It would clash with your furnishings. I  
think that, cut up and sewn, they would make wonderful bibs." She quipped. Mina   
snickered, and Ami smiled back at her. Then, Ami got a book and pale blue   
package from behind her back. "Here, this is a book on childcare, it is very   
reliable and current. Also, I have diapers, bottles, rattles, pacifiers and bath   
supplies in this tote."  
Mina thanked her graciously. The two chatted amiably for a little while   
before Ami went back to her duties.   
During lunch, Mina had yet another visitor. Wearing sunglasses, a long   
trench coat and a hat with the brim concealing his eyes. That is, until he was   
safely in the room. Then the hat was removed, and the sunglasses, to reveal a   
man with dark blond hair and green eyes full of sadness. He held out a package   
for Mina as well.  
"A mobile that plays lullabies! How charming!" Mina cooed when she   
opened the package. "Thank you, Zoisite!"  
"You are welcome." Zoisite looked around the room at the other gifts. A   
bear and balloons from Jade and Rei...nice touch. Mina was contentedly and   
happily having chicken soup from a thermos, the aromatic steam filling the room  
with a delightful, homey odor. It was definitely Lita's handiwork, that and   
those cans of baby formula. A huge bouquet of golden roses from Kunzite...  
it figured...when a man loves a woman that much...his wayward thoughts flew   
immediately to Ami, but, with a resolution equal to Ami's own, he tamped down   
that mutinous thought. A CD of Mozart from someone named Michelle Kaiou...  
very nice. Very tasteful baby clothes from another person named Susan Meiou...  
and...a horrid-looking silk robe of clashing colors and patterns from none   
other than Carnelian Greenleaf. His stomach tightened, but he gave a crooked   
smile and quipped, "This, cut up and sewn, would make nice bibs, I think."  
Mina laughed, "Why, Ami said the same thing when she came here!"  
Zoisite jumped up from his chair. "Ami? She was here? How is she?"  
Mina peered at him carefully. "Tolerable, seems heartbroken, though."   
She said carefully.  
"HEARTBROKEN?!" Zoisite felt a wave of protectiveness wash over him,   
still there though Ami was no longer his. "What, did that doctor hurt her in   
some way? If he did I will..."  
Mina, despite the fact that she was lying in bed, wearing a shapeless   
flannel hospital gown, glared at Zoisite so dauntingly that he cowed under her   
eyes. "Of course not! The doctor is not engaged to Ami, nor has he ever been! I   
suspected your story from the start. The doctor is engaged to that receptionist   
out in the lobby, whom you had been bothering incessantly. Ami has nothing to   
do with it at all! She loves you and only you!!"  
Zoisite's jaw dropped, then his mouth snapped shut again. "She--she   
does?" He said, confused.  
"Of course she does, you stupid lad." Mina said wearily, "I have not   
been a psychologist for several years for nothing, you know. Trust that, and a   
woman's intuition."  
"WHERE IS SHE NOW?" Zoisite demanded.  
Kunzite, who had come in to hear the tail end of the conversation, put a   
large, restraining hand on Zoisite's shoulder. "Now then, you must calm down.   
You shall see her soon enough, at the reading of the will. And mind," Kunzite's   
voice became almost like that of a stern father remonstration his unruly son,   
"you do not make any scenes being your usual overbearing, loud and rambunctious   
self. All's well that ends well, just do not give the poor girl any more trouble.   
She shall need all her wits and courage about her."  
"Why, is something wrong?" Zoisite's eyes sharpened with concern.  
"Let me just say that your late father has left a little surprise for  
her...one that your...brother and sister-in-law shall not appreciate a great   
deal." Kunzite replied in a deceptively bland voice.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Ami got out of the taxicab and entered the estate with a slight sense   
of trepidation. Why did Sard Greenleaf include HER, out of all people, in his   
will? It seemed strange. But then, she saw a black Jaguar pull up behind her,   
and a couple, Rubeus and Carnelian Greenleaf, get out. She gave herself a quick   
once-over: she was wearing a simple but very respectable looking navy blue   
Armani suit, with a white silk blouse and navy pumps. She wore the caduceus pin   
that she had bought the day that Zoisite had come back to Aquamyste. Everything   
about her was neat and decent...perhaps not as fine as Carnelian Greenleaf   
but...that woman passed her and gave her a surprised, superior look, but Ami   
threw back a glance so icy that Carnelian lowered her eyes.  
Mr. Neveson welcomed Ami warmly into the house, though he glared at   
Rubeus and Carnelian. They were soon followed by Lita and Nephrite. Then,   
everyone was present, and they were all ushered into the sitting room, where   
Kunzite, his briefcase on the table, and Zoisite, sitting idly on the couch,   
awaited.   
Zoisite was about to jump up when Ami came in, but he remembered   
Kunzite's warning, and tamped down any such desires for a later time. He   
noticed that she wore that pin, that same pin that she had worn the first day   
that he had come home, the day that he knew he had fallen in love. But, seeing   
the others, refrained from saying anything.  
"Good day, ladies and gentlemen." Kunzite said politely. "Now that we   
are all here, I shall skip the pleasantries and open up the will at once." He   
slowly and ceremoniously removed an envelope from his briefcase, broke the   
seal, and removed the document inside. "Be it known to all that this is the   
last will and testament of the late Sard Fitzgerald Islington Greenleaf, and  
that its terms are binding and arbitrary. Are there any objections?"  
Everyone shook his or her head. "Good, then I shall continue. You,   
ladies and gentlemen, are the beneficiaries and possible beneficiaries of the   
late Mr. Greenleaf. Be it known that when he wrote his will, he was sane of   
mind and of sound judgment, as certified by this public notary and health care   
professional. Henceforth, what is stated in this will is valid and by law all   
the property of the late Mr. Greenleaf shall be divided precisely as stated   
in this will. Without any further ado, let me begin." Kunzite opened the will   
to the first page and started to read.  
"I, Sard Fitzgerald Islington Greenleaf, do hereby certify this as my   
last will and testament, etc...It is approved by a public notary, drafted by  
my solicitor Kunzite Leigh, esq., witnessed by Miss Rei Hino, signed by two   
relations: my son Mr. Zoisite Greenleaf and my niece Miss Estrellita Ivy De   
Remie Kino. My sanity has been confirmed by Dr. Darien Chiba, physician and   
Miss Ami Mizuno, deputy head nurse at --- infirmary. All of the above's   
signatures appear on this will, and I certify that they are genuine. Etc.   
Etc. Etc.  
I.To my firstborn son, Rubeus Baine Hayley Greenleaf and his wife  
Carnelian Sinns Eval-Greenleaf, I hereby bequeath my scorn and ill-fate. This  
boon is permanent and non-transferrable except to any of their descendants.  
II.To my second son Zoisite Greenleaf, I hereby bequeath, from   
my monetary funds, an amount of £25,000,000, from my bank account, stock   
portfolio and other monetary capital. This boon is also permanent and   
non-transferrable except to his future wife and descendants.  
III.To my kinswoman Estrellita Ivy De Remie Kino and her fiancé   
Nephrite Starr Ralston, I hereby bequeath an amount of £5,000,000 from the  
aforementioned bank account, etc. as well as a red Ferrari currently stationed   
with my other autos, valued at £500,000. This boon is also permanent and   
non-transferrable except to their future descendants.  
IV.To Miss Ami Mizuno, I hereby bequeath my estate Aquamyste and  
all it contains, valued at £10,000,000, as well as £5,000,000 from my   
aforementioned bank account, etc. Also, the keys and contents of strongbox   
IQT-0192468357 in --- bank, valued at £100,000. This boon is also permanent   
and non-transferrable except to her future husband and descendants.  
V.To the servants in my employ, I hereby bequeath a stipend of   
£10,000 per annum for 50 years to each, to be withdrawn in equal portions per   
month, from my bank account, transferable only to their future descendants.   
They shall be allowed to stay at Aquamyste permanently, and serve the future   
master and mistress of said estate.  
Signed, Sard Greenleaf, etc."  
Carnelian Greenleaft jumped up, squawking like a choked bird. "This   
is an outrage! Aquamyste to THAT..."  
"Mrs. Greenleaf, you have agreed to the terms and conditions of the   
will. Its terms are final. If you wish to contest it in court so please   
yourself, but may I remind you that there are some documents filed away that   
would undoubtedly be rooted out, dating to several years back, involving one   
unfortunate young woman by the name of Avery Blackmoon. If this does not   
concern you, you may, of course, contest this will in court. It is your   
decision." Kunzite said coldly.   
Carnelian and Rubeus Greenleaf were silent for a moment, then Rubeus   
piped up again, "You cannot prove anything! It's not...possible!" Turning to   
Ami, he spat and said, "This bitch does not belong here amongst the higher   
social circles anyway!"  
Ami stood up to her full height. She was a small woman, and slender   
too, but her eyes were flinty and her voice rang with authority when she   
spoke. "Mr. Leigh, does this mean that I am the heiress of Aquamyste?"  
"Yes it does, Miss Mizuno, as you have been since the day of the late   
Mr. Greenleaf's demise." Kunzite replied civilly.  
Ami nodded, and turned to Rubeus and Carnelian Greenleaf, both of   
whom were looking at her with total hatred in their eyes. "This bitch has   
some words for you two, and you'll have to hear them whether you want to or   
not! As the son and daughter-in-law of the late Mr. Greenleaf, you two should   
be ashamed of yourself, making such a ruckus over the distribution of his   
material good while irreverently ignoring and forgetting his memory. Also, as   
respected members of upper-class society, you have no excuse whatsoever to be   
causing a commotion like a pair of hoodlums in a private home like you are right   
now. The last time you where here, you were profane, irreverent and threatening.   
You entered, uninvited and unwelcome. This time, however, I have no intention of   
letting you ruin the harmony and peace of a private home with your sacrilegious   
and unwanted presence! As the mistress of this estate, I must beg of you to   
leave at once, before I shall ring for the constables to remove your forcibly   
and ignominiously. Mr. and Mrs. Greenleaf, you two are respected, well-known   
members of upper-class society, do you seriously wish to sully your reputations   
by getting thrown out of a private home by the constables for disturbing the   
peace? I think not! Therefore, leave this estate at once!" Saying so, she   
reached into her purse for a cellular phone, ready to call in constables if   
necessary. Rubeus and Carnelian, furious but helpless, stormed out of the room   
and out the door, never to be seen there again.  
Ami sat down after her vehement speech, dimly aware that all the others   
in the room were applauding her. "You've got spunk! Why, you told that harridan   
things that I have wished to say for years!" Lita said laughingly. Kunzite gave   
her a rare smile, told her that she handled the situation very well, and gave   
her a business card, asking her to call him if she ever needed his services. A   
moment later, Lita, Nephrite and Kunzite all left the estate, leaving Ami and   
Zoisite alone.  
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Both were silent for a moment, and then, Zoisite spoke. The words, on  
his tongue, had been bitter, acrid, accusatory, but, looking at her face, into  
her eyes, seeing the sadness in them that mirrored his own, his words came out  
softly, gently. "Ami, it's been awhile."  
Ami nodded, unable to speak, her mind racing.  
Then, gently, oh so gently, "Ami, why did you leave?"  
Ami was silent for a moment, and then she spoke, "I left because, well,  
you are Zoisite Greenleaf, you are Zanth Winters, you and I were wholly on a   
different social class. I thought that, being with me, would ruin you..."  
"And?" Zoisite gently prompted her to continue.  
Ami gave him a soft, slightly wistful smile. "I was wrong. I realized,  
when I saw you again today, that love has no 'class', no 'worth', no conditions  
attached at all. It is nothing but love, pure and simple. We are different, and  
that is that. But nevertheless, we need each other. I need you." She allowed   
herself a tiny smirk. "I do not think that I have ever said that to anyone   
before, but I've never been surer of anything in my life."  
Zoisite inhaled sharply, and looked at her, her eyes were filled with   
unshed tears, but she was smiling. For him! Always! And forever! And she had   
said that she needed him! And that she was sure! She loved him! She loved him!   
She loved him! He felt an urge to leap into the air and whoop with joy. But he,   
having learnt restraint, merely smiled broadly and asked, "So, are you staying?"  
Ami grinned, those tears sliding down her face free at last. "Yes."  
No need for restraint any more. He had nearly forgotten what her lips   
tasted like, the smell of her ocean-colored hair, the feel of her eyelashes   
brushing against his face, how perfectly her sylphlike form fit into his arms.   
But now he felt it once more. For once in his life, Zoisite Greenleaf truly felt   
like he was on the top of the world.  
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Okay! How was that? Longer chapter, and NO cliffhanger:D!! See? I can be nice   
once in a while^_-!! Anyways, for my unusual and unprecedented niceness, I   
deserve some reward, don't I? So e-mail me with your comments, positive,   
negative, whatever! The addy is smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com, as usual. The story   
is nearly done...one or two chapters left, and then the epilogue...it's been   
fun:)...anyways, whenever I come up with a nice conclusion (I'm guessing two,   
three weeks or so?), I'll send it in for your reading enjoyment:)!! Ja!  
-Thalia 


	8. Chapter 7

Of Kith and Kin: Chapter 8  
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Hi peoples it's me again with MORE!!! (YAY!!) I want to give a big thank you to  
all who have e-mailed me with their comments, I LOVE YOU GUYS!! Okay, this work  
is coming to a (hopefully graceful) close and it had been fun...I hope y'all had  
fun reading it...ANYWAYS, if you liked it, or even if you didn't, please tell me  
your take on my work by e-mailing me at smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com. I LOVE E-MAIL  
so e-mail me please!!! As usual, all disclaimers apply and all that jazz...you  
know how it works so don't sue me...yadda yadda yadda...Okay I won't blather on  
and on any more...enjoy!!  
-Luv,  
Thalia  
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Ami hummed happily as she hung an iridescent gold glass ball onto the  
green fir tree in the parlor. Already, the tree had an assortment of glittering  
ornaments and fluffy fake snow on its branches and was twinkling with white   
lights. The room looked like a winter wonderland: the black piano was draped   
with silvery garland, the windows and doorway adorned with silver bells and   
white icicle lights, the shelves decorated with pine branches and holly, with   
scented red and green candles ready for lighting. Sprigs of mistletoe also hung   
suspended in various places in the room.   
Suddenly, she felt a pair of strong arms wind around her slender waist.   
"I must say, you look beautiful this morning." Zoisite whispered gently into her  
blue hair.  
Ami turned around and looked at him playfully. "According to you, I look  
beautiful EVERY morning."  
"Yes, that is true." He stroked her cheek gently. She gave him a quick  
kiss before bending down to start placing blue-wrapped boxes under the Christmas  
tree.   
"I can see that you have finished all of your shopping already." He said  
to her.  
"Yes, I have." Ami nodded.  
"So have I." He smiled at her, "I want to give you your gift right now."  
"All right. I'm sure that I will love it, whatever it may be." Ami said,  
looking deeply into his eyes.  
"I certainly hope so. BUT, my sweet, I want you to close your eyes for a  
moment." Zoisite said.  
Ami arched an eyebrow at her lover, then complied. "All right, you may  
open them now."  
Ami did as she was told, and gasped before one lily-like hand flew to   
her mouth and twin tears rolled down her cheeks. For there was Zoisite, the man  
she loved, down on one knee, a beautiful platinum ring, a diamond of first water  
surrounded by glimmering sapphires and aquamarines, sparkling at her against a  
field of navy blue velvet, in his hand.  
"Ami Mizuno, I love you. You have taught me so much, about life, about  
love, about caring for others, about being a good man. I have never felt this  
happy before I met you. You mean more to me than anything ever did before or   
ever could again. Ami, my blue-eyed angel, my dear, sweet, beautiful, caring,  
wise, stubborn, wonderful, little nurse, will you marry me?"  
For a moment, she couldn't speak. And then, the man on his knee found  
kisses and tears raining down onto his face as a pair of arms went around his  
neck. The young woman whispered a single word, "Yes". It was softly spoken, but  
so full of conviction that had she screamed it she could not have made herself   
any clearer. The man, his eyes moist as well, gently slid the ring onto her slim  
finger, and the two shared a sweet, long, deep kiss.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
This was how Mrs. Neveson found the two of them a moment later, as she  
went to ask Ami whether to make the Yule log with vanilla ice cream or whipped  
cream. The elderly woman entered the parlor to find her young Master Zoisite and  
Miss Ami in a loving lip-lock, standing by the Christmas tree. Hastily, she went  
back towards the doorway from whence she came.  
"Wait a moment, Mrs. Neveson." Zoisite said, turning to face the woman,  
who was standing at the door, abashed. "How long have you known me?"  
"Why, since the day you were born, lad. Well nigh 27 years back." Mrs.   
Neveson replied.   
"Well," Zoisite grinned widely, putting an arm around Ami's shoulders.   
"Your 'lad' has grown up, and has found himself a 'bonny lass'." His voice grew  
serious. "My mother is no longer here, so I will have to ask for your approval  
instead. I have just asked Miss Ami to marry me, and she has consented."  
"Why, bless you both!" Mrs. Neveson's face broke out in smiles. "I wish  
you two much joy, Master Zoisite and Miss Ami! This is good news indeed! I must  
say, when I woke up this morning, I had a feeling that something good would be  
happening today! I must go tell my man and the others at once!" And she bustled  
off...only to pop back a moment later. "Oh, Miss Ami, would you like to have ice  
cream or whipped cream on the Yule log?"  
"Ice cream." Ami smiled. Mrs. Neveson nodded, and hurried back to the  
kitchen.  
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That evening, it was a joyous banquet, as all of their friends: Rei and  
Jadeite, now married, Lita and Nephrite, also married, Mina and Kunzite, Dr.   
Holly Tomoe with her fiance Brian, and of course Serena and Darien, came over  
to Aquamyste. Everyone toasted the newly engaged couple, and wished them joy.   
"So, when is the wedding going to be?" A smiling Serena, exultant that  
Ami's situation had come to a happy pass, asked her friend.  
Ami and Zoisite exchanged glances, they had not talked of that, but in a  
moment, both knew the perfect time for the wedding to be.  
"April 10th." They said together.   
"April 10th? Why that day?" Kunzite asked, confused.  
Darien suddenly smiled. "I think I know why." Everyone looked at him. "I  
referred Sard Greenleaf to Ami on that day, if I recall correctly."  
Zoisite nodded, smiling. "Yes, it is." Suddenly, his grin was replaced   
by a serious look. "I believe that I have you to thank, then, for my present-day  
happiness." He said to Darien. "You know, for the longest time, I was misled to  
think that you were dating Ami, and was even led to believe that you two were to  
marry. Frankly, I hated you for that, but I guess that it was all a mistake, and  
I am glad to have met you, and am honored to call you a friend."  
Darien nodded, "I cannot say that I blame you for hating me when you had  
thought that I had stolen the love of your life from under your nose, goodness,  
I would have felt the same way had something of that nature occurred to me, God  
forbid. I am also delighted to make your acquaintance, and very glad to see that  
Ami is to be a very happy woman." And then, his tone lightened, "Do take good  
care of her, will you? She is like a little sister to me, and if ever anything  
bad happens to her," His handsome face took on a mock-threatening look, "WELL.."  
Everyone laughed, and cheered when the two men shook hands in goodwill and good  
cheer.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Suddenly, Jadeite's cell phone rang, followed closely by Zoisite's. The  
two men exchanged glances, and excused themselves. A moment later, a collective  
exclamation could be heard from the adjacent room. After a few minutes, the two  
men bid farewell to whomever they were talking to, and returned to the dining  
room.  
Jadeite cleared his throat, "I have an announcement to make. Our agent  
and spokeswoman, Alex Tenou, had just contacted us. Because our new CD, which we  
have just released, has reached double platinum, our presence is requested on  
December 31st in New York Times Square to perform for their New Year's Eve Ball  
Drop celebration. The private jet is already prepared, and hotel reservations at  
the poshest establishment in the city have been made. We shall leave in two days  
for America."  
Now it was Rei's turn to make an exclamation. "So does that mean that I  
shall not be seeing you for New Year's?" She asked Jadeite, a reproachful how-  
could-you-put-your-career-before-me look on her pretty face.  
Jadeite gave her a placating smile. "Of course not, darling. You and Ami  
are to come with Zoisite and I, along with Miss Tenou, a score or so bodyguards,  
two chauffeurs, one of whom is Mr. Waters, and our staff. You and Ami also get  
to visit your families in America. Would you like that?"  
"Really? THANK YOU!" Rei threw her arms around her husband. "I have not  
seen my family in years!"  
Ami had been silent. Now was the time to see what would happen. She had  
no idea how the public would feel about her. But Zoisite gave her an assuring  
smile, and said, as if he had read her thoughts, "They will love you, I am sure  
of it."  
Ami hoped so.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
It was New Year's Eve and a crowd had already begun to build up in Times  
Square when Waters, driving a black stretch limousine, had arrived. Rei held on  
to Ami's hand tightly and reassuringly as their bodyguards cleared a path for   
them to go to the front of the stage. Ami could see the screaming fans, some   
carrying signs saying things such as "We Love Jay and Zanth" and "Fire and Ice   
Rock Our World". Some people recognized Rei, congratulated her, gave her teddy   
bears and flowers and hugs, and even asked for her autograph, saying that they   
were glad to see that "Jay married someone as hot as himself". But no one knew   
who was the lovely young woman in blue at Rei's side, and whispered speculations   
spread through the crowd. "Is this whom they were mentioning in the fan-mags,   
Zanth's new girlfriend? She's pretty, but she looks nervous..."  
Then, suddenly, the crowd screamed as Fire and Ice appeared onstage. A  
large screen behind the performers reflected the audience, straining against the  
barrier that prevented them from storming the stage. Jay approached the mike,   
and the crowd quieted to hear him speak.  
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, don't you all look fine today. This  
evening, not only do we wish you the brightest and best of New Year's, we have  
a special person in the audience to introduce. As you all know, I am already an  
old, married man, but it seems that my friend Zanth has seen the merits of this  
life. So, without further ado, I shall let him take over."  
Zoisite stepped up to the microphone. "Earlier this year, while I was at  
home in England, I went to the hospital to visit someone, and met this adorable  
little nurse. My first impression of her was 'My God that is one gorgeous girl!'  
I never knew how much my jaw could drop til then." The crowd laughed, then he   
continued. "Well, you see, I was being my usual overbearing self, and this nurse   
decided to give me a piece of her mind. I was at once struck by how smart she   
was, and how she made me think about my life and myself. To make a long story   
short, I saw more and more of her, each time looking, if possible, more gorgeous   
than the last." The crowd laughed some more, but then, Zoisite grew serious.   
"One day, I was struck with a fancy to write a new song. The words just seemed   
to come to me, and when I was done writing it, I looked down at the sheet and   
saw that what I had just written was a love song, and it described the exact way   
I felt about that lovely little nurse. That song is now our new single 'Wonder'   
from our new CD of the same name." As the band began to play a few chords,   
Zoisite looked straight at Ami, "Ami, I love you, every day, I thank God that I   
have been blessed with your presence and love. This is for you, Ami. In ten   
years, when we are sitting in our home together, surrounded by our children,   
I'll still feel the same way, and that feeling will remain with me for the   
entirety of this lifetime and any more lifetimes to come."  
Ami felt her eyes blur with tears as the familiar tune and words hit her  
ears. The crowd swayed in time to the song, and in the screen at the back of the   
stage, they could see Ami's face, her teary smile, and her eyes, locked with the  
eyes of Zanth Winters, onstage.  
When the song was over, the crowd went wild. But their reaction was   
nothing compared to what it was when Ami and Rei were lifted onto the stage, and  
were taken into the arms of their lovers. Oblivious to the cheering crowd and  
everything else as well, Ami and Zoisite kissed, right in the spotlight, with a  
million watching. Ami was dimly aware of the cameras flashing, but she could not  
care less.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Ami, come look at this!" Zoisite called to his fiancee, who looked up  
from the bridal magazine in her lap and went over to the computer. "What is it?"  
The two had returned to Aquamyste. Alex Tenou, a tough and tomboyish but  
very caring woman, had put up with the barrage of questions from the reporters   
and allowed Zoisite and Ami to leave in peace. They had left in the jet with Rei  
and Jadeite, and the two men were able to meet the parents of the two women they  
loved as they flew across America. Then, with those parents' approvals, they all  
returned to England. Zoisite was at the moment online reading something.  
It was a fan's site on her favorite group, Fire and Ice. And Ami began  
to read aloud:  
"I had first seen Fire and Ice at a concert they had given near my home  
town when their first album had reached double-platinum. They were so good! Not  
only did they have good looks, they had great songs. They immediately became my  
favorite group.   
Jay Summers had a very cheerful personality, but Zanth Winters always   
seemed to be more reserved, even brooding at times. But something about him just  
got my attention. He seemed like a very good person who seemed to have not been  
loved in a long time, despite the fans. But he was a very polite, gentlemanly  
guy. Once, me and my friends sent him a card for his birthday, and he replied  
back himself, not just some form letter, and thanked us. [link to photo of the  
card and thank-you note]  
So, when I heard that Fire and Ice were performing at Times Square, I   
was ecstatic! I made plans to be there on New Year's Eve.   
As us fans waited for Fire and Ice to appear, suddenly, two beautiful  
women were led through the crowd, surrounded by bodyguards. [link to pic of two  
women making their way through the crowd with bodyguards] One was, of course,  
Rei Hino, Jay Summers' wife. Another one was this really pretty but slightly  
nervous-looking lady with blue hair. No one really knew who she was, and rumors  
started flying. Then, Fire and Ice got onstage. Jay told us that they two had a  
special person to introduce, but he let Zanth do the intro.  
Zanth got up to the mike, and looked at the blue-haired girl, and told   
us that her name was Ami, and that she was a nurse, and that the two of them   
were in love, and that she was the inspiration for that great new single they   
had. It was so simple, what he said, yet soooo sweet!! We could all tell it was  
just how he felt, that it wasn't something rehearsed. And it was so sincere...  
I swear, when I heard him say to her, "Ami, I love you, every day, I thank God   
that I have been blessed with your presence and love. This is for you, Ami. In   
10 years, when we are sitting in our home together, surrounded by our children,   
I'll still feel the same way, and that feeling will remain with me for the   
entirety of this lifetime and any more lifetimes to come." I felt chills up my  
spine. And I'll bet so did Ami! I mean, who wouldn't? Anyway, all the girls in   
the audience had tears in their eyes, even Ami, who just looked up at Zanth   
with a smile on her face, adoringly, just like he was looking back at her.   
[link to LIVE video of Zanth's intro]  
All during the song, I don't know if others noticed, but Zanth and Ami's  
eyes never left each other. I know that they all noticed after the song, when   
Rei and Ami were brought onstage, and Zanth and Ami just fell into each other's  
arms. Okay, I'm usually not one for PDA's, but they two just seemed to forget  
about everything else. [links to pics of Zanth and Jay singing, Ami and Rei, and  
Ami and Rei onstage with Zanth ahd Jay]  
My whole take on this? Well, I don't know of many celebs who manage to  
have a successful love life in spite of their career, but I really do believe   
that Ami and Zanth have a chance. Zanth and Ami, if you ever read this, I wish  
you the best, and I hope and believe that you two will live happily together for  
the rest of your lives. You two deserve it! I hope you will love each other for  
ever and ever, although I think you will even if I don't tell you to!  
~Meredith  
You are the 8931th person to visit this site. Updated 1 January."  
Ami smiled.   
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Okay so the ending was kinda weird but anyways there's one more chapter, a short  
one, and an equally short epilogue. Thanks for sticking with me and reading! I  
hope you liked! E-mail me with your comments at smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com!! Hope  
to hear from you!!   
-Thalia 


	9. Chapter 8

Of Kith and Kin: Chapter 9  
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Hello people I'm BACK!! Didja miss me? Gosh, finals suck! But anyway, they are  
over now, so I'm back with more. This is the last chapter of this story, except  
for the epilogue. Anyway, I hope that you have liked this story, I had fun with  
it. E-mail me with your comments (gee, I say this with everything I submit, but   
I REALLY want to hear from you!) at smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com. Okay that will be  
all. Happy reading!  
-Thalia  
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Ami sat nervously in front of the vanity. It was a bright, sunny spring  
day, April the 10th, and there she was, in her wedding gown. Her reflection in  
the mirror stared back at her with worried aqua eyes. She felt a gentle hand on  
her back, and saw a smiling face framed with blonde hair next to hers.  
"Nervous, my dear?" Mina asked gently. Ami nodded. "Do not worry, and be  
happy! It is your wedding day!"  
Ami nodded again. "How do you know that a man will love you forever?"  
Rei joined Mina on Ami's other side. "You do not know, but if you love  
him enough, and he loves you enough, both of you are willing to take the chance  
for that."  
"I cannot believe how nervous I am right now." Ami confessed, a bemused  
expression on her face. "But, I do not think that I will ever regret marrying  
Zoisite. I love him as I have never loved anyone else, as I have never thought  
possible. When he is around, I feel like nothing in the world can harm me or   
make me unhappy. I love how his eyes light up when he sees me, I love the way he  
is so idealistic, yet so wise. I even love how his hair falls in his face! I   
love him so much that my heart feels like it could burst. It's amazing, but when  
I am with him, I feel so safe yet so vulnerable. I...." Ami broke off, then she  
sighed, "I am nervous."  
"Do not worry, we were all nervous when we married." Lita declared, and  
tucked another wisp of silky blue hair in place on Ami's head. "You look lovely,  
Ami."  
The others nodded in agreement, and one by one, they came up to her, to  
give her something...  
"Something old." Rei said softly, taking from the jewelry box a pair of  
glimmering diamond earrings. These opulent gems had been in the Greenleaf vault  
which Sard Greenleaf had bequeathed to Ami in his will. They were century-old   
heirlooms. Rei gently put them on Ami's ears, gave Ami a hug, and stepped out of  
the way as Serena approached.  
"Something new." Serena continued, picking up Ami's bouquet. Carefully,   
she tucked, amongst the pristine white lilies and blossoms, a budding blood-red  
rose, still gemmed with dew, which she had clipped from her garden just that  
morning. She smiled with tears in her eyes, and gave her best friend a kiss on   
the cheek. Mina stepped forward.  
"Something borrowed." Mina added, her arms full of filmy, lacy white.   
Gently, she draped her own wedding veil over Ami's blue head. Smiling sweetly,   
Mina squeezed Ami's hand in comfort and looked at the younger woman through the  
misty embroidered roses and cobwebby pattern of the delicate veil, "They say the  
veil of a happy bride brings good luck, you know." Lita came up next.  
"Something blue." Lita, like Rei, dug into the jewelry box, and took out  
the old caduceus pin that Ami had bought so long ago. With gentle fingers, Lita  
pinned the sapphire pin onto the bodice of Ami's wedding gown. Then, she patted  
Ami's shoulder, and made way for Holly.  
"And a lucky new sixpence in your shoe." Holly finished the old rhyme as  
she dug into her purse, took out a newly minted coin, and put it into Ami's   
white shoe. "Good luck." She whispered to Ami, her hand resting gently on Ami's   
arm. Ami nodded, and smiled tremulously as she slowly stood up from her seat.  
She certainly looked the role of the bashful bride. Her dress had been  
tailored and designed by one of Mina's cronies, an enterprising young lady in   
the fashion business by the name of Susan Meiou. It was satin, pure as driven   
snows, with a sleek bodice and trimmed with frothy layers of soft organdie voile  
at the bottom hem, like billowing waves. Minute silvery threads had been woven   
into the fabric, making the dress shimmer slightly in the light. The dress was   
off the shoulder, with silvery roses embroidered on the top. For the umpteenth  
time that morning, Ami checked her reflection in the mirror with a critical eye.  
She looked beautiful. Swallowing, she smiled at the others, and headed towards   
the door.  
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Zoisite stood nervously at the altar. He was immaculately groomed, but a  
niggling little doubt in his head. He looked at Jadeite, Kunzite, Nephrite and  
Brian, who were all there with him. Turning to Kunzite, he asked, "Kunzite, may  
I ask you a question?"  
"You just did." Kunzite quipped tonelessly.  
Zoisite smirked. "All right, I will ask you another one. How do you know  
that you and Mina were meant to be, how do you know that you two will love each  
other forever?"  
Kunzite was silent for a moment, then, in a serious voice, he answered,  
"I do not know, but right now, I love her enough to want to take a gamble on it.  
That is what happens each and every day. I wake up to know that I want to spend  
that day with her. And I take it one day at a time. With each successive day, I  
love her more. That is what happens." He halted, and shrugged. "It is a bit hard  
to explain, you will just have to experience it for yourself."  
Zoisite nodded. "I love Ami. I love how she makes me feel that no matter  
how much the world is against me, I can still pull through. I love how, when she  
smiles at me, I feel like everything is wonderful. I love how, when she talks to  
me, she is completely honest, yet kind. I love the way she understands and takes  
me as I am. I love how she can see past Zanth Winters the rock star, past Master  
Zoisite the son of a millionaire, and just welcome me for me. I love the way her  
hair smells like the ocean and lilies. I love her intelligence, her gentleness,   
her determination to live her life on her own terms. I love the way she can feel  
no qualms at putting boorish barbarians like Rubeus in their place, then turn  
around and be tender and fragile as a rose. I love her so much it hurts."  
The men looked at him and smiled. Jadeite remarked, "Zoi, if ever you do  
not want to sing any more, you can make a fortune making Valentine's Day cards."  
Zoisite chuckled. All the men came up to him, shook his hand, and said,  
"Good luck to you." Then, the door opened and the wedding procession began.  
First there was 6-year-old Rose, Darien's niece. Dark-haired, with wide  
blue eyes and crimson cheeks, the little girl was dressed in a white dress and   
wore flowers in her braided hair. She carried a basket of rose petals, which she   
scattered across the aisle.  
Then, there was Mina's son, the ring-bearer. The little boy, his silvery  
blond hair shining on his head, gave a Mina-like kilowatt smile to everyone as  
he strode down the aisle with the wedding rings on a cushion in his hand. He was  
dressed in a miniature version of a tuxedo.  
Following were Rei, Lita and Holly, the bridesmaids, all in white. Each  
wore different jewels and carried different flowers. Rei wore rubies and carried  
poppies. Lita wore emeralds and carried pinks. Holly wore amethysts and carried  
irises.   
Then, Mina and Serena, as the Matron and Maid of honor, respectively.   
Both of them wore white, but each had a shoulder corsage of different flowers as  
well as a sash of different color. Mina had yellow daffodils and honeysuckle on  
her corsage, with a sash of gold. Serena had pure white baby's breath and red  
tea roses on her corsage, with a sash of silver.   
Last of all came Ami, the bride, on Darien's arm. Slowly, the procession  
walked up the aisle to the altar.  
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"Do you, Zoisite Greenleaf, take this woman as your lawfully wedded wife  
to care for, cherish and love in good times and bad, in sickness and in health,  
for better or for worse, for as long as you both shall live?"  
"I do." Zoisite looked down at Ami's bowed head. Never had she seemed  
more exquisite. He smiled.  
"And do you, Ami Mizuno, take this man as your lawfully wedded husband,   
to care for, comfort and love in good times and bad, in sickness and in health,  
for better or for worse, for as long as you both shall live?"  
"I do." Ami finally looked up, and saw Zoisite's eyes bright with love.  
All her uncertainties, all her doubts vanished, and she returned his smile.  
"Then, repeat after me." The minister said to Zoisite. "With this ring,  
I take thee, Ami Mizuno, as my wife."  
"With this ring, I take thee, Ami Mizuno, as my wife."  
"And you, repeat after me." The minister said to Ami. "With this ring, I  
thee wed, Zoisite Greenleaf, as my husband."  
"With this ring, I thee wed, Zoisite Greenleaf, as my husband."  
"In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, I now pronounce  
you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."  
Gently, Zoisite lifted the veil off Ami's face and flung it back. Her  
blue eyes sparkled at him, then her long lashes lowered and she closed her eyes.  
Gently cupping her chin with his hands, he kissed her. Dimly, he felt her lean  
into him and her hand caress the hair at the back of his neck.  
Then, amid cheers and the throwing of rice, the jubilant pair marched   
down the aisle as music struck up in the background. As they walked out of the   
church, a ray of sunlight bathed over them, outlining them in gold. Both of them  
looked up at the cloudless cerulean sky. Ami could have sworn that she heard   
Sard Greenleaf's joyous laughter...or was it just the wind in the trees?  
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There, it's done! That chapter was short, and not much happened, but hey  
it's a conclusion what can you expect? Epilogue next week. Likely equally short  
and equally non-action-plotwise. Anyhow, hope you enjoyed reading this work as  
much as I have enjoyed writing it! Hope to hear from you! E-mail me with any  
feedback at smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com. Blah blah blah. Have a great day!  
-Thalia 


	10. Epilogue

Of Kith and Kin: Epilogue  
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Hey people! This is it! The last part of this story! I hope you have enjoyed it!  
It's been fun! Anyway, I don't know if I'm going to start a new story or not...  
If I do, well, we'll see...if not, then this is Thalia signing off, wishing all   
of you health, wealth and happiness, and glad that you have taken the time to go  
and read my writings! As always, e-mail is appreciated: compliments, comments,   
criticism, suggestions, death threats, marriage proposals, whatever you send to  
me I will read and reply to accordingly. Anyway, e-mail to me your take on this  
and other works by yours truly to smart_sweetlady@yahoo.com! All disclaimers and  
whatnot apply, etc. Have a great day!  
-Love,  
Thalia, your favorite muse of comedy.  
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"Hermia, have you finished practicing piano?" Ami called out gently. The  
addressed Hermia scampered up to her and nodded, then gave her a hug as well as  
she could, trying to wind her little arms around Ami's now swollen waist.   
Ten years had flew by like the wind. Ami looked down at her little eight  
year old daughter. Hermia also had soft sapphire hair, but it was as wavy as her  
father's. Her eyes were a glimmering blue-green that were sharp and astute one  
minute and dreamy and limpid the next.   
"Mummy, did I kick too?" Hermia asked as she felt a movement under where  
her little hands rested on Ami's belly.   
"Yes, you did, darling." Ami smiled, "You were a little acrobat."  
"Really?" Hermia asked, her eyes wide, "I did somersaults! I love you,  
mummy." Laughing, she darted off.  
Ami laughed, then smiled when she felt another pair of arms wind around  
her from behind. She was encased in a warm, loving embrace, and felt a butterfly  
kiss land on the nape of her neck. "You look beautiful."  
Ami made a little face. "I look fat."  
"You look beautiful." Zoisite repeated firmly. "So, Mrs. Neveson just  
wanted to let you know that everything is set for tonight."  
Ami smiled. "That is good."  
"You look beautiful."   
"You have said that three times now. And need I remind you that I am 5  
months pregnant with a son?"  
"Well, you do!" Zoisite turned her around to face him. "You have no idea  
how lovely you look, dearest, it is not just the physical you (although that is  
very nice), you are just so full of love and kindness that we helpless mortals  
cannot help but love you."  
Ami shook her head, "Goodness, you seem to be bent on making me into an  
angel or something! Have you forgotten how I gave you a scolding the first time  
we met?" Zoisite looked at her tenderly.  
"Trust...me...I...remember...every...moment...I...have...spent...with...  
you..." He replied, punctuating each word with a kiss.  
Ami relaxed and snuggled into his arms. Silently, she thanked whatever  
benevolent deity had ordained for her to be assigned to Sard Greenleaf's case so  
long ago.  
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Ding-dong! The doorbell rang. A jubilant Serena and Darien entered, with  
a box wrapped in white paper decorated with silver stars and followed by a small  
girl with pink hair who was sucking her thumb as she looked up with garnet eyes  
at Ami and Zoisite. "Aunty Ami!!" She screamed, letting go of Darien's hand and  
giving Ami a bear hug.   
"Hello, Rini." Ami kissed the little girl's cheek. Rini let go of Ami to  
pounce next on Zoisite. "Uncle Zoi!"  
"My, my, Miss Rini, how you have grown up! You're a beautiful young lady  
now!" Zoisite squatted down so that he was looking at Rini eye to eye. Rini gave  
him a smile, revealing a missing front tooth, before holding out her arms. He  
picked her up and swung her around. "You are getting too heavy!" Rini giggled.  
Meanwhile, Hermia had also scampered out of nowhere. "Aunty Rena! Uncle  
Darien!"  
"How is my favorite blue haired girl?" Darien chuckled, producing a red  
rose out of nowhere with an elaborate flourish and handing it to Hermia. Hermia  
smiled and hugged Darien's legs, "Thank you Uncle Darien!"  
"Anything for you sweetheart."  
"What, no hug for me?" Serena asked, then gasped as Hermia came close to  
tackling her with a huge hug.  
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"She's my darling, she's my princess, she's the one and only Hermia!"   
Jadeite sang out, a mischievous grin on his face. Hermia giggled. Uncle Jade was  
so funny! Aunty Rei followed, then came Richard, their son and Hermia's "bestest  
friend". Richard was a scant two months older than her, dark haired and blue  
eyed, and together, he and Hermia had been inseparable since they were three.  
Rei smiled at Ami, and handed her a shiny crimson bag. The two women at   
once started chatting about old times. Rei, like Ami, was pregnant, but with a   
little girl rather than a boy, and soon, the two were immersed in conversation.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Goodness, Eric, you are taller than I am!" Ami called out in surprise.  
It was true. Eric, the son of Mina and Kunzite, was now 15, and very tall for   
his age. Zoisite clapped the boy on his back, "I bet the girls at school are all  
wild about you, lad."  
Eric blushed, and Mina winked at the two of them, "Eric happens to like  
this very pretty girl named Helen in his class. She's 14, and she has chestnut   
curls and big blue eyes. As I understand it she has been flirting and smiling at  
him, but he is too shy to say anything around her."  
Eric's blush deepened, and Zoisite laughed, "My boy, around girls, you  
have to seize the opportunity, and go for it! You have to work up your courage  
and just go up to her and tell her she is beautiful! Trust me, it works every   
time!" He winked saucily at Ami, who glared at him before bursting into a grin.  
Aurora followed. Self-contained and dignified yet merry and sweet, she  
curtsied to Ami and Zoisite, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year." She said as  
she held out a gold-foil wrapped package to Ami, who bent down to the girl and  
gave her a hug.  
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Next came Lita and Nephrite, followed by twin boys. The two brown-haired  
10-year-olds were almost identical, except George had green eyes and Paul had  
blue. They greeted Ami and Zoisite, then made a beeline for the computer and the  
plethora of games that Uncle Zoisite had available for them to enjoy. Finally,   
bringing up the rear was three-year-old Ivy, with a headful of curly auburn hair  
and wide blue eyes.   
Lita handed Ami a green covered basket, and joined in the nostalgic yet  
merry conversation with the others.  
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Dr. Holly Tomoe, husband and daughter in tow, was the last guest. Clad  
in dark violet, holding onto the hand of her 6-year-old, lavender-haired, dark-  
eyed daughter Violet, she calmly greeted Ami and the others and gave Ami a thin  
purple package.   
Soon, everyone had gone into the dining room and finished a sumptious   
holiday meal. As silverware and wineglasses clinked, memories and laughter and  
joy resounded in the room.  
In a while, everyone had repaired to the sitting room, where a roaring  
fire was blazing merrily in the fireplace. As everyone else reminisced and the  
children played together in the next room, Zoisite drew his wife with him to a  
darkened corner.   
"Merry Christmas Mrs. Greenleaf." He whispered against her hair.  
"Merry Christmas yourself." She replied, cocking her head slightly.  
They just stared into each other's eyes for awhile, then Zoisite shook  
his head and smiled, "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"  
"Millions of time, but I never get sick of hearing it." Ami smiled back  
at him. Gently, she pressed her lips against his.  
Suddenly, the two felt a warm little presence close by. Hermia, who had  
just finished teaching Aurora and Richard the rudiments of chess, had just come  
into the room. Zoisite smiled at Ami, "Ten years ago, I had seen us like this:  
the two of us together, surrounded by our children, you, a bit older, but just   
as beautiful as ever...and it came true."  
Ami nodded and snuggled closer to him, "Yes, it did. Let's keep it that  
way for the rest of our lives, okay?"  
Zoisite just smiled at her. No words were necessary. He looked over her   
shoulder at the starlit heavens. Unlike Nephrite, he was no astronomer, but he  
could swear that those points of light were winking at him, that his parents, up  
there in heaven, were laughing and rejoicing for his happiness, and that, like  
him, his father was remembering the fateful day in which that brave little nurse  
had come into their lives.  
Zoisite felt blessed.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
OKAY it's done!!!! Yippee!! Like? E-mail me! Toodles!  
-Thalia 


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